What Your Food Cravings Are Trying to Tell You

Rebecca Lewis February 20, 2015

Food cravings are something we experience from time to time. Whilst some cravings are caused by nutritional deficiencies, others have more complicated reasons. The good thing is that most food cravings can be reduced. And it starts by knowing what caused them.

Here are some of the most common food cravings we experience and what they are trying to tell you.

Cravings for Sweets

Do you find yourself constantly craving for sweet treats like cookies and ice creams? When your blood sugar levels are low, it is natural for your body to crave for sweets. Whilst it may feel good in the moment, eating sugary foods can cause your blood sugar levels to go up and crash immediately, which result to lethargic feelings. So instead of giving in to your sugar cravings and snacking on some donuts or cake, opt for complex carbohydrates like baked sweet potatoes or fruit. Complex carbs take time to digest, so your blood sugar levels will stabilise.

Cravings for Salty Foods

Salt craving can result from a relatively mild condition that is easy to resolve, such as mild dehydration. It can also be part of pregnancy, or a symptom of stress. Being angry or too stressed can essentially tire out your adrenal glands, causing an increase in salty food cravings. However, chronic cravings for salty food could be a sign of certain health complications, like Addison’s disease (a rare endocrine or hormonal disorder) and adrenal disorders. If you’re badly craving for salty foods, consider consulting your GP for a check-up.

Cravings for Junk Food

A 2013 research from UC Berkeley found an association between junk food cravings and lack of sleep. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), scientists examined the brain regions that control food choices. They found impaired activity in the sleep-deprived brain’s frontal lobe, which governs complex decision-making, but increased activity in deeper brain centres that respond to rewards. In their study, the sleep-deprived subjects favoured unhealthy snack and junk foods when they were sleep deprived.

More Things to Consider

Occasional food cravings are normal especially if you are in a strict diet programme. So don’t forget to allow yourself for a treat once in a while. Measured indulgences can in fact, help you stick to your diet plan and reach your health goals, than strictly restricting your appetite for sweet, salty and junk foods. If you are pregnant, expect more food cravings too.

Cravings come in all varieties, but many solutions exist. So before you give in to your cravings, try to figure out what’s causing them first and look for healthier ways to address them.