Vanilla scent
The insider tip against cravings
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According to British researchers, the scent of vanilla is an insider tip in the fight against cravings for sweets. We explain what you should know about it.
Combat a sweet scent with another sweet scent – and the cravings will go away. Sounds like a fairy tale, but according to London researchers it should actually work. At least when you use the scent of vanilla to get rid of cravings. For the study by the British scientists, 200 test subjects were given a scented patch on their skin. In 70 participants the patch smelled of vanilla, the 130 other people either wore a placebo patch or one that smelled of lemon.
With vanilla against cravings
The eating behavior of the participants was precisely recorded over a period of four weeks. The surprising result: The people who wore the patch with vanilla only ate half as much chocolate as usual and also consumed less sugary drinks. In the other groups, however, the subjects' eating behavior had not changed.
But why does vanilla smell dissipate the desire for sweets? This has not yet been fully clarified, the researchers but suspect a connection between the release of the happiness hormone serotonin in the brain and the vanilla aroma. After all, chocolate usually also ensures that happiness hormones are released – so the vanilla acts as a substitute for the candy effect. The theory is also supported by the fact that the appetite for fatty foods or alcohol was not dampened by the vanilla patches.
Why do we have cravings at all?
Cravings can ruin any attempt at weight loss. Nevertheless, we shouldn't be angry with our body – because cravings are actually just an alarm signal from the body that it is lacking nutrients. And since the brain is dependent on a good supply of energy, it immediately fires from all pipes in the event of a deficiency – which can not only cause us to get a penetrating growling stomach, but also cause nausea.
Just as mean: The brain is now particularly happy about sugar because it quickly provides energy and makes the blood sugar level skyrocket. However, this level drops just as quickly after consuming sugar and leaves us tired and weak. Instead of relying on sweets, it is best to distract ourselves a little during a food cravings attack. Because the gnawing feeling of hunger usually disappears on its own after a short time. You can find even more tips against cravings here.
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