HealingDeva.com

[Terri R.]

When it comes down to which foods we crave, men experience different cravings than women.  Men often crave protein-fat-salt mixtures such as meat, French fries, pizza, cheese and nachos, while women generally crave fat-sugar mixtures such as chocolate, cakes and cookies.  Cravings are sometimes linked to women's premenstrual periods, but they will still be fat-sugar combinations. 

How can you tell if it's a craving?  The food you crave must have one of three key ingredients: fat, sugar, or salt.  If the food doesn't contain these elements, then it isn't a true craving. 

Often times we get these sudden cravings when we're not really hungry.  Some researchers speculate that food cravings arise because the body desires certain nutrients it lacks.  Others believe cravings may be based on physiological needs -- the so-called "comfort foods."  As an example, we don't crave chocolate because our bodies need magnesium and chocolate is rich in magnesium. We crave it because our brains respond to eating chocolate by releasing chemicals that give us pleasure - we like the taste.  In addition, our brain releases endorphins called endogenous opioid peptides: pleasure molecules.  Naturally, we could get the same amount of endorphins with physical exercise, but the average person would prefer eating a chocolate bar as a response to stress over working out at the gym.

Many wonder if such intense desires, or cravings, are driven by a psychological need.  Some people even call foods they strongly desire "addictive."  Cravings are a way of providing instant gratification, thereby satisfying our immediate need for pleasure and contentment. Most experts agree that there isn't anything wrong with giving in to our food cravings unless they cause you to binge or overeat. The inability to control your cravings (such as eating the entire bag of chips instead of one serving) would be considered by some experts to be an extreme reaction to stress.

If our food cravings are not all in the mind, could they arise as an attempt to supply the body with nutrients it lacks?  Some researchers speculate that, as an example, carbohydrate cravings commonly reported by dieters may be due to a diet too low in calories.

How we make food choices is a complex issue. Whether any innate "wisdom" of the human body plays a major role in determining our food choices is unclear. But our associations with food, in terms of the emotions they evoke, clearly have great influence over the choices we make.  Trying to totally avoid certain foods can cause you to overconsume them in the end.  What's the best way to handle food cravings?  Eat all foods in moderation within the context of a well-balanced diet.  In other words, if you want ice cream instead of carrot sticks, then eat the ice cream... just don't eat the whole gallon in one serving.