Why do I have an aversion to sweets?
Asked by anonymous on Aug 31, 2008
in Emotional & Behavioral Issues
I'm a 37 year old female. I smoke but don't drink. I take Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide for high blood pressure, and I haven't been dieting for a few months now. I used to love sweets. I could eat a giant Hershey bar in three nights and now I can't even drink soda pop. The thought of eating cakes or pastry and even cinnamon toast just disgusts me. I am not doing this.. it's my body rejecting all the things I loved to eat. I've searched for answers and can't find anything remotely close to what's going on with me. If you have any ideas or suggestions I would appreciate them. I offended my sister-in-law when I refused to eat a cupcake at my nephew's birthday party and the holidays are coming up.
Answer
A dieter can develop “negative alliesthesia” which is a psychological term that describes the process of changing one's perception of a food from pleasant to unpleasant. The body actually modifies its internal sensors in response to an external stimuli (the sweets). This shift in taste preference can occur in obese individuals who lower their weight on a calorie restricted diet. Negative alliesthesia often occurs in reaction to sweets, and it might be linked to the body’s need to regulate weight around a new set-point. It is not a problem unless it interferes with consuming a balanced diet or produces undesired weight loss.
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