Cravings: What They Are And Suggestions For Controlling Them
As far as energy is concerned, people crave high calorie foods, high in carbohydrate, fat and sugar because it gives them a fast burst of energy. Even though it would be much better for them to have a foodstuff with a better nutritional value without empty calories.
The second reason for craving food is because it makes us happy.
We have a primitive response, as humans, we live to experience pleasure, through sex and relationships and also through eating and drinking.
If you are miserable or in crisis in one area of your life, you aren’t getting pleasure from it and turn to food to give you that happiness kick.
If you find no pleasure in life - you can get a chemical fix from food.
Certain emotions, including stress, sadness and boredom, can promote cravings.
Does your craving for food ever raise questions about why the craving starts to begin with? Many wonder, and there is much speculation.
Many people are convinced that if you crave a particular kind of food, then your body must "need" it. While this may be true sometimes, it may not always be true. Sometimes cravings can indicate a specific deficiency and on other occasions it may not. In fact, sometimes the body's response (the craving) may provide erroneous information.
For example, a food craving for pickles or chips, which may be believed to indicate a need for sodium, may actually be triggered instead by a potassium deficiency (a similar mineral).
In an extreme case, reacting aggressively could exacerbate the deficiency and in some cases could lead to a life threatening condition. Supplementing with one, instead of the other could be life threatening. Therefore it is important to understand what a craving may mean; the information should be just a part of your action strategy.
So you want to control your cravings. What should you do?
The next time you pick up a food that you are craving ask yourself why you are eating it. Many cravings are in fact due to psychological causes (such as stress, and anxiety) and not actually as a result of a nutritional deficiency.
Try to become aware of your emotional triggers for eating so these triggers can be avoided, or at least addressed.
If you know that stress causes you to crave and overeat, then try to find an outlet to relieve the stress. Are you craving because you are bored? Find an activity to occupy your time.
If you notice that the craving is always linked to a certain activity (such as reading the newspaper or watching television), try changing your routine. Something as simple as reading a book may help.
Try changing the activity altogether. Try something like exercising. Exercise stimulates the feel-better chemicals called endorphins and improves your mood. Try taking a warm bath, call friends and family, or just wait it out for 15 minutes.
Very often you'll find that the craving has lost a lot of its strength by the time the waiting period is up.
Keep your fruit bowl well stocked and always have healthy snacks in the fridge, like carrot sticks and grapes. So if you feel your craving creeping up, just grab a banana and a big glass of water or maybe even have a teaspoon of honey or a handful of raisins to satisfy your need for sweet stuff.
Do something else that gives you pleasure. As the experts say we have cravings because they give us pleasure so do something else that does that. It is advisable go for a run which will release feel-good hormones and burn calories.
Some cravings for food are actually thirst in disguise. Since most of us walk around dehydrated. Half the time what we perceive as hunger is really thirst. You can test that by drinking a couple of glasses of water.
Again wait a few minutes to let the crave pass.
What Do You Crave and What Does It Mean?
As to what a particular craving signifies, the answer depends on who you ask to. Some nutritionists and healthcare practitioners believe that certain cravings may be meaningful.
Carbohydrates
If you crave carbohydrates; such a craving can indicate low levels of serotonin and endorphins. According to some studies, carbohydrates initiate a chain reaction that theoretically can change levels of neurotransmitters influencing mood.
Serotonin
Serotonin is believed to play an important part of the biochemistry of depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. It is also believed to be influential on sexuality and appetite.
The name "serotonin" is something of a misnomer and reflects the circumstances of the compound's discovery. It was initially identified as a vasoconstrictor substance in blood serum - hence "serotonin", a serum agent affecting vascular tone.
This agent was later chemically identified as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and as the broad range of physiological roles were elucidated, 5-HT became the preferred name in the pharmacological field.
Research with carbohydrate-cravers suggests that cravings for sweets may come with negative or depressed feelings that could be relieved as those levels change, but this idea is not universally accepted.
Many people doubt the serotonin/carbohydrate link because most people don't crave just carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread or pasta. They want some sweet, high-fat foods.
Supplements
Instead of loading up on carbs try supplementing your diet with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-HTP can raise serotonin levels in the brain and can elevate mood and cause a sense of well being.
Other supplements that have been identified as possible "crave busters" include:
Ginkgo biloba (also helps memory and brain function)
Acetyl-L carnitine (also helps burn stored fat)
St. John's wort (helps raise mood/serotonin levels)
Vitamin B-6
NADH (vitamin B-3 derivative)
S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe, also helps raise mood)
Replacing Carbs
Also try eliminating sugar and all high glycemic foods after 6 pm at night. High glycemic foods and sugar alcohols spike your blood sugar levels, lower GH levels, and will keep you in a vicious circle of craving more and more carbs.
From a weight-management perspective, the one thing you do not want to do is snack on high-carbohydrate foods before bed. This simply insures that you go to bed with a high circulating level of insulin and virtually guarantees that the body won't burn fat while you sleep.
Replace the carbohydrates with protein or some high-quality fats which will keep your blood sugar levels more even, increase satiety levels and diminish cravings at bay. Also eliminate excessive alcohol since excessive alcohol consumption contributes to lowered levels of serotonin.
For reasons that are not completely understood, the supplement L-glutamine (an amino acid), may curb sweet cravings. Try a good casein protein drink fortified with peptide glutamine (better assimilation).
Exercise may be a good approach as well since it has also proven to have positive, mood-elevating effects, and you will burn calories as well.
Most people are addictet to refined carbohydrates.
Soft drinks, candies, muffins, cakes, desserts and baked goods are not the only foods providing refined carbs. You can also find a lot of refined carbs in breakfast cereals, breads, buns, pizza dough, crackers, white rice, white pasta, pretzels, potato chips and french fries. In addition to not containing any important nutrients, refined carbs could also negatively affect your health and longevity.
Obesity
Refined carbs contain a lot of empty and unsatisfying calories. Because these foods do not give your body the nutrients it needs, refined carbs do not promote satiety and actually lead to more carb cravings and overeating. Many people feel that they are addicted to refined carbs and can't stop eating them. One of the main negative effects associated with refined carbs is weight gain.
Heart Diseases
Most people believe that only fat can affect their blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk profile, but refined carbs have a big role to play. Eating refined carbs can increase your triglycerides -- a type of fat circulating in your blood -- which increase your risk of stroke and heart attacks. Refined carbs also lower your HDL cholesterol levels, which have the role of protecting your arteries from plaque buildup and atherosclerosis. The large quantities of sugar circulating in your blood after consuming refined carbs can also damage your arteries and make them more prone to becoming clogged.
Diabetes
The high sugar and starch content of refined carbs can rapidly increase your blood sugar levels after a meal. Your pancreas has to work harder when you eat refined carbs to produce enough insulin to try to control your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels could easily become out of control after eating refined starch. If you don't have diabetes, consuming refined carbs on a regular basis could increase your likelihood of developing it by promoting weight gain and exhausting your pancreas.
Fatty Foods
If you crave fatty foods it could indicate that your body is deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA's). There are two essential fatty acids - commonly referred to as Omega-3 and Omega-6 that are indeed essential for life because they are involved in the proper functioning of every cell, tissue and organ in the human body.
So for good health, and to cut down such cravings, you can supplement your diet with Omega 3 and Omega 6 EFA's, or flaxseed oil, or just try eating more fish (such as salmon).
Fatty foods however can cause immediate side effects such as gas, bloating, acid reflux and heartburn, and long-term effects such as increased risk for heart disease.
Fatty foods that contain saturated fat, trans fats and/or cholesterol are linked to poor heart health and increased risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiac arrest. Excessive consumption of unhealthy fats is also a major risk factor for heart disease.
Chocolate
There are many reported reasons why people crave chocolate. One belief is that your body may be deficient in magnesium (chocolate contains magnesium).
Note: A chocolate craving for women may be from hormonal changes before and during women's menstrual periods. Some believe chocolate may raise brain serotonin levels. Others believe a shortage of B vitamins can trigger a craving for chocolate.
This is why a craving can again, be confusing. Which one is it? Is it more than one? All? Since stress also burns B Vitamins, supplementing your diet with a good B complex is not a bad idea.
Chocolate has many saturated fat that elevates blood cholesterol, which puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke. The added sugar in chocolate has no nutritional value, which can cause weight gain and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
When Do You Crave?
Knowing when you have cravings is important because it may indicate fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels. If your cravings are at night, eat smaller carbohydrate meals throughout the day to smooth out the blood-sugar levels that will feed the need for sweets later in the day.
Also do not diet by skipping meals or starving yourself, especially if you are exercising. It is almost impossible to control night cravings if you lack calories.
Controlling Night Cravings
The following is a partial list of suggestions that may be of assistance in controlling the "infamous night cravings" that often derail many dieters from reaching their goals:
Eat large portions of vegetables and moderate portions of lean protein, whole grains, beans, fruits and nuts.
Avoid eating carbohydrates by themselves. Instead, mix them with some protein and fat, but watch the quantity.
Throw out any temptations in your pantry. Replace them with good food options.
Keep busy so you will be distracted from thoughts of food (try working with your hands).
If you are very "oral" and need to keep your mouth busy, try sipping warm non-caffeinated herbal tea like chamomile. This can also have a stress reducing effect that may get you to bed earlier, thus reducing the chances of binging.
Delay at least 10 to 15 minutes before you eat so that your action is conscious, not impulsive. Most cravings will dissipate after 15 minutes. If you still crave the food, determine how important it really is for you to eat the craved food vs. the impact it will have if you eat it.
You do not want to find yourself even more depressed afterwards. This will then feed the culprit rather than stopping it (the all to common vicious cycle of stress and depression eating).
Be Careful About Moderation
For some, eating what they crave in moderation will stop the binging. For others it can start the binging process, making them feel guilty and crave the food even more.
By evaluating cravings, and objectively determining trends and triggers you will have the knowledge (and the power) that you need to control cravings so they no longer control you!
I created the chart below for most Food Cravings:
When your body craves certain foods, if what it actually is looking for are nutrients, you can control it eating as follows:
If you crave this… What you really need is… And here are healthy foods that have it:
Chocolate Magnesium Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Sweets Chromium Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, calves liver, chicken
Carbon Fresh fruits
Phosphorus Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains
Sulfur Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage
Tryptophan Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Bread, toast Nitrogen High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans
Oily snacks, fatty foods Calcium Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Coffee or tea Phosphorous Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes
Sulfur Egg yolks, red peppers, muscle protein, garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables
NaCl (salt) Sea salt
Iron Meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Alcohol, recreational drugs Protein Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts
Avenin Granola, oatmeal
Calcium Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Glutamine Supplement glutamine powder for withdrawal, raw cabbage juice
Potassium Sun-dried black olives, potato peel broth, seaweed, bitter greens
Chewing ice Iron Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Burned food Carbon Fresh fruits
Soda and other carbonated drinks Calcium Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Salty foods Chloride Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt
Acid foods Magnesium Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Preference for liquids rather than solids Water Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Preference for solids rather than liquids Water You have been so dehydrated for so long that you have lost your thirst. Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Cool drinks Manganese Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Pre-menstrual cravings Zinc Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables
General overeating Silicon Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
Tryptophan Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Tyrosine Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables
Lack of appetite Vitamin B1 Nuts, seeds, beans, liver and other organ meats
Vitamin B3 Tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds and legumes
Manganese Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Chloride Raw goat milk, unrefined sea salt
Tobacco Silicon Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
Tyrosine Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables