Cravings for chocolate or opening a bag of potato chips may be your body’s way of alerting you to something.
Some experts have hypothesized that a lack of nutrients is to blame for cravings, while others say it’s as simple as snacks that make you happy.
And MailOnline shows what food cravings can mean.
Cake or something sweet
Whether it’s cake or cookies, those with a sweet tooth know very well what it’s like to crave something sweet.
However, your sugar cravings are likely caused by low post-peak body sugar levels.
When you eat, your blood sugar levels rise and insulin is released.
According to experts, if you eat refined sugars and carbohydrates, they quickly enter the bloodstream and cause an imbalance in blood sugar.
The body then produces more insulin to deal with the rapid rise in blood sugar.
Nutritionist Dr. Marilyn Glenville said, “Once you get over this, your blood sugar levels will drop, but since you’ve produced a lot of insulin, your levels will drop so much that you’ll soon want to snack on a piece of chocolate.” … And the more sweets you eat, the more sweets you will crave.”
To reduce sugar cravings, Glenville recommends supplementing with chromium, a mineral found in the body in the form of trivalent chromium, which may play a role in normal insulin function.
Potato chips or something salty
Some people tend to experience food cravings. And cravings for something salty can mean you’re low on electrolytes.
Potassium and sodium electrolytes maintain the balance of body fluids and ensure the smooth functioning of muscles and nerves.
And salty foods are high in sodium, so experts suggest these cravings are your body’s way of telling you it needs sodium, albeit in small amounts.
Sodium is a vital mineral that helps keep the body hydrated, which helps regulate blood pressure.
A small amount of sodium is found in celery and carrots, which helps curb food cravings.
According to the British Heart Foundation, the guidelines say that adults should eat less than six grams of salt a day, which is the equivalent of about a teaspoon.
And the NHS says that if you follow a high-salt diet, your body gets used to that level.
She also warns that eating too much salt can make regular foods tasteless, and encourages you to add more salt, which fuels the cycle.
Cravings for salty foods can also indicate a protein deficiency, says Eleanor McClelland, chief nutrition officer at healthy snack company Graze.
“This can often lead you to eat high-calorie, high-sodium foods and snacks that don’t satisfy cravings,” she added.
Try foods that are high in protein and fiber, such as nuts, roasted beans, or broad beans.
bread or other carbohydrates
Cravings for heavy foods made up of bad carbs, such as bread or pasta, are another common craving.
But when it does, resist the temptation to indulge in white, refined versions of your favorite carbs—they can’t be easily digested by your body.
And there can be many reasons why you crave carbs, including stress.
“We’re hardwired for survival, so when we don’t feel safe, our brains can increase cravings for fast energy (including bread, pasta, muffins, etc.) to store it for later use,” says the registered dietitian. Lindsey Pliscott.
Experts say other potential causes of carb cravings could include the need to regulate bad moods, as carbohydrate intake is associated with the release of the happiness hormone serotonin.
Food restriction can also be the cause of food cravings. This is because in response to fasting, the body increases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin to encourage you to seek food and energy.
Chocolate
Your chocolate cravings may be due to your body asking for something else.
Experts estimate that about 80% of the population lacks magnesium in their daily diet.
Magnesium is needed by the body as it helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure, and synthesizes protein, bones, and DNA.
Some people speculate that chocolate cravings are actually your body’s signal that it’s lacking in nutrients.
But experts said it was a myth. Considering that people only knew cocoa about 1,000 years ago, and that chocolate in its current form is a creation of the Victorian era, Chocolate Passion is about the pleasure of eating sweet chocolate with cream.
And while dark chocolate doesn’t cause food cravings, it can be a source of magnesium.
However, dietitian Fidoshi Bennani, co-founder of the fitness center, said: “Dark chocolate is widely known as a source of magnesium, and although it is a good source, each 25-gram bar contains about 60 mg of it. / portion, we will have to eat a lot of dark chocolate to reach the optimal daily value (nearly six servings of chocolate), which of course means a lot of sugar for the body. Other sources of magnesium include cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, and pumpkin seeds, to name a few, which will also help you stay full for a while longer and reduce sugar cravings.
Source: Daily Mail
