What Are Your Food Cravings Telling You?
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What Are Your Food Cravings Telling You?
Are your cravings getting the better of you and sabotaging your health goals? Cravings are a normal part of life – we all get them from time to time. But if you are constantly craving certain foods or feeling out of control, you might like to know why it happens.
What’s the difference between hunger and a craving?
When you’re hungry, you could eat something different and feel satisfied. On the other hand, a craving is usually specific to a type of food. If you’re craving pizza and try eating a rice cake with tuna instead? There’s a good chance your brain will say ‘nope, that’s not it!’ and continue to demand pizza!
That’s why understanding the potential causes of your food cravings can help. Once you know why you’re craving a particular food, you can find substitutes that will actually satisfy what your body or brain are asking for.
Sweet cravings
When you crave sweet things, it can become a vicious cycle. This is thanks to how sugar affects your blood sugar levels.
When you first eat something sugary, your blood sugar skyrockets, and you feel like you can take on the world! But then your insulin kicks in and stores as much of it away as possible to prevent it from causing issues. Your energy and mood crash and your body screams out for a quick fix of energy – in the form of sugar.
If this is the case for you, the trick is to start reducing your sugar intake and balancing it out with other macronutrients that keep your energy steady. To learn how to reduce your sugar intake naturally, make sure you give this a read.
Sweet cravings can also be a sign of underlying blood sugar dysregulation. If you have insulin resistance or PCOS, you may crave sweet foods more often as your cells struggle to access the energy they need to function properly. In this case, you’ll need to take steps to improve your insulin sensitivity.
Struggling to choose foods that support insulin resistance? I have my 8 favourite breakfast recipes listed here.
Chocolate cravings
Let’s be honest – who hasn’t craved chocolate from time to time? The research on why we crave chocolate and how it boosts mood is still in the early stages. There are several key compounds that could play a role in making you feel good, including:
Theobromine (similar to caffeine)
Anandaannabinoid that can reduce anxiety in large doses)
Phenylethylamine or PEA (a chemical that stimulates pleasure in the brain)
Sugar (which can release dopamine and other feel-good chemicals)
Now it’s important to note that aside from sugar, the compounds are in small amounts. It’s unlikely that they can have significant effects on the brain alone, but when combined with sugar and the emotional experience of eating chocolate? That might just be a recipe for feeling better.
So what can you do to alleviate chocolate cravings?
The first thing to try is having a healthier dose of chocolate – that is, without a tonne of simple sugars. Make sure you have a look through my recipes to see if there are any that sound like exactly what you need!
The second is to see if you’re craving chocolate at a certain time or alongside a particular routine. Always craving chocolate after work because you’re tired and stressed? Look at including a healthy afternoon snack before you leave work to give yourself a little boost. Reaching for a block after dinner when watching TV? Switch it out for a walk around the block or a cup of herbal tea, and then see how you feel afterwards.
Carbohydrate cravings
Could your mental health be behind your constant carbohydrate cravings? Science is starting to show this is the case for many people.
In studies that looked at different types of cravings, it was found that nearly ¾ of people who craved carbohydrates felt anxious, tired or depressed before their cravings hit. As consuming carbohydrates can release brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, it may be your brain’s way of asking for some relief. Keep in mind, this doesn’t even have to be depression or anxiety – it could simply be caused by boredom or frustration!
Unless you are cutting out carbohydrates for a specific medical reason, you don’t need to avoid them simply because you are craving them! But what you can do to maximise their benefits and minimise side effects is opt for healthier versions.
Go for a wholegrain bread over white bread, try lentil pasta and add plenty of veggies into your sauce, and don’t forget to add in a source of protein and healthy fats. Carbohydrates will fuel your body and brain for longer if your meal is higher in fibre and/or protein.
Salt cravings
A craving for salty foods can actually go both ways – sometimes it is because you’ve been eating too much, but other times it’s because you’re not getting enough.
Sodium is a critical nutrient for your body functions. Many people consume too much of it through processed foods, which can increase your risk of many health conditions. If you know you’re consuming a lot of high-sodium foods, you might want to start cooking at home and switch your salt shaker at home to a potassium salt alternative.
But if you’re someone who eats a relatively ‘clean’ diet with plenty of wholefoods, it could be that your sodium intake is too low. You might notice other symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness, and you could even have low blood pressure readings.
In this case, you could try salting your meals to taste for a week, and see if you feel better. Look for a high-quality natural salt such as sea salt or lake salt.
Fat cravings
Your body needs fat to function properly. But what happens when you’re constantly craving oily and fried foods? It might be that your body simply needs some more healthy fats.
The solution is simple – make sure you’re using healthy fats whenever you crave fatty foods. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines are a great option as they are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. You can also add in more nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil to boost your healthy fats.
Another option is to switch how you cook your favourite fatty foods. For example, instead of frying up potatoes, you can give them a spritz of olive oil spray and then bake them. They can be just as crispy and satisfying, but without dripping in oil!
Need some more guidance when it comes to eating a healthy diet?
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
Check out my free guide to healthy eating to design your own version of a healthy lifestyle so that you can feel energised and vibrant, or hire me to work my magic on your health through mindset, nutrition, and movement.
While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of medical advice.