If you eat late at night and continue eating during the night, even though you already full, you might have a low level of dopamine. The reduced dopamine level causes the increased desire for food, overeating, and weight gain. We bring you the dopamine diet, which will help you to lose weight and stop your constant desire for certain foods.
Food rich in tyrosine
The dopamine diet is the work of Bruce Wylde, who has presented his vision of how to stop the constant desire for certain foods and lose weight in a television show called Dr. Oz, and thus promoted his diet in the best possible way. The theory that stands behind this diet states that the excessive food intake (especially of foods rich in refined sugars and saturated fats) lowers the dopamine levels – the neurotransmitters that participate in the control of the reward system and satisfaction, and it tells the brain when we should stop eating.
The reduction of dopamine levels causes the increased desire for food, overeating, further decrease of dopamine levels, and weight gain. In order to break this enchanted circle, Wylde recommends the intake of foods rich in tyrosine, the amino acid that participates in the dopamine creation. According to Dr. Oz, you can suspect of having the low dopamine levels if you eat late at night or during the night at least twice a week, even though you are already satiated, or when you are feeling nervous and tired if you have not eaten your favorite food.
What to eat?
If the low dopamine levels are the cause of your excessive enjoyment in food and causal weight gain, there are foods whose intake should be increased in order to break the enchanted dopamine circle. The lists of foods rich in tyrosine that must find a place on your everyday menu, be the base of your meals, and suppress the feeling of hunger and encourage the weight loss include:
- Horse beans and beans
- Chicken and turkey
- Duck
- Edam and ricotta cheese
- Oats
- Wheat germs
- Heartburn food
- Algae
- Dark chocolate
Eating these foods reactivates the receptors in the brain, which reduces the temptation for the excessive food intake and, over time, it becomes easier to feel the satisfaction with smaller meals. During this diet, you should avoid the foods that inhibit the brain function, such as processed and industrial food, junk food, sweets, and caffeine.
Physical exercise for additional results
For those who want to see the “big“ results, the diet’s author recommends taking the L-tyrosine in the form of a food supplement. The recommended dose is 500 to 1000 mg of L-tyrosine on the empty stomach in the morning and one more identical dose between lunch and dinner. It is necessary to take the L-tyrosine for 4 to 6 weeks in order to successfully reduce the excessive desire for food. For additional results,
Bruce Wylde also recommends the intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of food supplements. In order to stimulate the dopamine production, the author recommends the regular physical exercise. It is, therefore, desirable to walk for 30 to 60 minutes, swim, or jog during as many days of the week as possible.
Advantages of dopamine diet
Dopamine diet tries to solve one of the hardly manageable factors of obesity, which is the desire for food and addiction to food. The foods on which this diet is based are very nutritious valuable and act as an important part of the proper dietary habits. However, it is recommended to limit the intake of duck meat, because of its high percentage of saturated fats, and dark chocolate, because of its high calorie value. The encouragement for regular physical exercise is commendable.
Disadvantages of dopamine diet
This diet is very simple and does not enforce strict rules and detailed menus, which can pose a problem for persons who do not get easily motivated without the structured program. The amounts of foods rich in tyrosine are also not defined, so the person who decides to go on a dopamine diet is left on his or her own in the end. For persons who choose the diet with the L-carnitine in the form of a food supplement, it is important to know that large doses can lead to nausea, fatigue, and joint pain.
Experts’ note
If you decide to take the L-tyrosine in the form of a food supplement and as an integral part of this diet, please be careful. If L-tyrosine can have a positive effect on dopamine levels, the persons with heart diseases, hypertension, or the ones who are taking the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (form of antidepressant), must consult with their doctor before reaching out for this food supplement. This diet should definitely include green, orange, and red fruit and vegetables. Namely, these are the foods that are rich in antioxidants and will, therefore, neutralize the negative changes of dopamine, which is prone to oxidation.
Sample menu
- Breakfast : Oatmeal with wheat germs, apple, and yoghurt
- Snack: Toast sandwich with Edam cheese and a pepper
- Lunch: Fried chicken breasts and horse bean salad
- Snack: Briar
- Dinner: Rice krispies with a spread made of pureed beans, garlic, paprika, and olive oil