Tryptophan and Sugar Cravings

[tandrsc]

For years I've been struggling with frequent and random sugar cravings that make me stuff my face with anything sweet I can find in the house.

They really bother me. Mostly because it makes me put on weight, and if I put on weight all my symptoms are worse. But also because I don't know why they happen when I do everything right - regular meals, no sugary drinks etc etc.

But all was made clear after watching this little set of videos (each one is 3 to 4 minutes long)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/human-neurotransmitters-in-plants/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-wrong-way-to-boost-serotonin/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-better-way-to-boost-serotonin/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-way-to-boost-serotonin/

Essentially, we need tryptophan to make seratonin; and carbohydrate allows the trytophan to get a better look in (hence the sugar cravings).

These videos say that seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin etc) are the best source; but after a quick search on http://nutritiondata.self.com/ of my favourite foods, oats and cocoa are also pretty good.

So now I drink 2 or 3 mugs of cocoa a day made with sesame or oat milk and sweetened with a spoon of honey.

Problem solved - sugar cravings have stopped.

Oat milk can be a pricey and heavy to carry, but sesame milk is the cheapest and easiest thing to make. Here's how:
http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/12/homemade-sesame-milk.html

Actually, I just mix tahini, cocoa and water in a mug then put it in the microwave - even easier.

 

[Cort]

For years I've been struggling with frequent and random sugar cravings that make me stuff my face with anything sweet I can find in the house.

They really bother me. Mostly because it makes me put on weight, and if I put on weight all my symptoms are worse. But also because I don't know why they happen when I do everything right - regular meals, no sugary drinks etc etc.

But all was made clear after watching this little set of videos (each one is 3 to 4 minutes long)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/human-neurotransmitters-in-plants/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-wrong-way-to-boost-serotonin/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-better-way-to-boost-serotonin/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-way-to-boost-serotonin/

Essentially, we need tryptophan to make seratonin; and carbohydrate allows the trytophan to get a better look in (hence the sugar cravings).

These videos say that seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin etc) are the best source; but after a quick search on http://nutritiondata.self.com/ of my favourite foods, oats and cocoa are also pretty good.

So now I drink 2 or 3 mugs of cocoa a day made with sesame or oat milk and sweetened with a spoon of honey.

Problem solved - sugar cravings have stopped.

Oat milk can be a pricey and heavy to carry, but sesame milk is the cheapest and easiest thing to make. Here's how:
http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/12/homemade-sesame-milk.html

Actually, I just mix tahini, cocoa and water in a mug then put it in the microwave - even easier.

Wow - eating chocolate to reduce sugar cravings. It doesn't get any better than that ...I've been taking 5-HTP for awhile - I think its helped.

Cocoa and oatmilk sounds good. I would think It might not be that hard to make?

Thanks for passing that on and congratulations on reducing the sugar cravings. (I have them too...)

 

[Cort]

Dr. Murphree says by the way that boosting serotonin is one of the most effective ways he's found to fight pain in FM.

• http://www.cortjohnson.org/forums/t...bromyalgia-and-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.3216/

 

[Croatoan]

Taking tryptophan will not create serotonin is you are low in iron (the cofactor of typtophan hydroxylase) and/or B6 (the cofactor for amino acid decarboxylase).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8748674

If you take tryptophan and you are low in B6 you will end up reducing your levels of NADPH and therefore reduce your ability to handle oxidative stress:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOq6hFwMgOIs7pY4PacrlR-V09Q_xL2vRvg35FI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotinamide_adenine_dinucleotide_phosphate

It is my beleif that the only thing we should be taking are cofactors to feel better.