We’ve all been there, when a certain food item, flavour or sensation is all you can think about. But why do we get cravings and are they signs of something else underlying? As a naturopathic nutritionist, I believe we need to tune into and connect to our bodies and listen to all the little messages it gives us. Only we really know how we feel and we often have a deep sense of what feels right and what feels wrong. So even though we may crave a certain food, deep down we know that it probably isn’t good for us – so do you think it is trying to tell us something else? Cravings are a good sign that you are not giving your body what it needs.

My cravings have always been for chocolate. As a child everyone called me a chocoholic and I would happily devour a bar of Dairy Milk in seconds. I was also known for hating green foods! I have discovered my own cravings are linked to my magnesium levels. No wonder I was deficient in magnesium as green foods are a rich source. But then again so is chocolate; well, the raw cacao or very dark chocolate anyway. So my body was trying to send me a message but I used sugar-laden chocolate to feed my cravings which just left my body starving of the nutrient it needed.

Now I increase my magnesium through plenty of leafy green vegetables, spirulina, supplementation and regular epsom salt baths (see below why these help), and feel much more in control of my chocolate cravings. I also make my own raw chocolate truffles from cacao to get my chocolate hit with a good dose of magnesium. I really notice that my cravings increase around stressful times and so although it’s a good mood booster I also know that when we are stressed we deplete our magnesium levels. Acknowledging this link is often enough for me to ensure I turn to a good source rather than be seduced by that Cadbury purple colour.

Starving our body of nutrients and we will always be starving. But we are feeding that hunger with the wrong things. So what do our cravings mean and what should we be feeding ourselves?

SUGAR

Craving for sugar or sweet flavours is one of the most common cravings. Sugar releases endorphins (our ‘happy’ hormones) so consuming a sugary snack or drink will make you feel ‘happy’… but for how long? That blood sugar crash you will no doubt get after a high sugar dump will soon make you feel irritable and grumpy.

Why?  Physically Sugar cravings can be a sign of mineral deficiencies such as a shortage of chromium, phosphorus, tryptophan or sulphur.

What to do

  • Consume foods that boost our endorphins: healthy fats such as avocado, nuts like brazil nuts, coconut oil and chia seeds.
  • Also raw cacao is a serotonin (happy hormone) booster as well as vegetables like spinach and kale, spices like saffron and turmeric and berries like blueberries and acai.
  • Cinnamon is also an excellent source of chromium and is very effective at regulating our blood sugar levels.
  • Foods to avoid are of course sugary snacks, alcohol/spirits, artificial sweeteners (they make us crave more sweet things), high-fructose foods, processed foods, sodium-rich foods, MSG and GMO foods. The trouble is there are so many hidden sugars in prepared foods today so the more food you make from scratch yourself the less sugar you will be consuming.
  • Naturally sweet foods to enjoy are dates, mango, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, nectarines, strawberries, cherries and blueberries, and so on.

Why? Emotionally Could you be trying to numb your emotions due to feeling stressed, depressed or worried? We search for sugar to boost those happy hormones so we can stop feeling so low but there are lots of ways to boost those happy hormones healthily.

What to do So what else boosts our endorphins?

  • Go for exercise, yoga, mediation or tai chi.
  • Take a walk and get a Vitamin D boost from the sunshine.
  • Boost your lymphatic system by being active which will support the circulation of hormones and help to rebalance that mood.

SALTY FOODS

Why?  Physically Salty foods are a sign of essential mineral deficiency especially silicon and also could be a sign of chronic dehydration.

What to do

  • Eat nuts and seeds especially cashews, seaweed and miso.
  • Swap your processed white salt at home for sea salt or pink Himalayan salt as these are mineral rich.
  • Increase your water consumption to at least 2 litres of water a day.
  • Try to decrease your caffeine consumption.
  • Eat more soaked foods like rice, stews, fresh vegetable juices and herbal teas. Also watermelon and cucumber are 96% water and other water-rich foods are lettuce, pear and blueberries.
  • Foods to avoid are, of course, processed foods, sodium-rich foods, MSG and GMO foods.

Why? Emotionally

This craving can often be triggered when we are stressed and can be a sign of imbalance in the kidneys. The emotions of fear and anxiety are associated with the kidneys and bladder – so could you be going through a particularly fearful time or feeling over-anxious at work?

What to do Sometimes by just acknowledging what those emotions are doing to us on a physical level we can free ourselves from its effects.

CAFFEINE: COFFEE, TEA & CAFFEINATED SOFT DRINKS

Caffeine is a stimulant – we think it’s a good way of keeping us going but caffeine is addictive and also our body adapts quite quickly so the more you drink the more you end up needing, continuously increasing your dependance.

Why? Physically

Caffeine cravings can be a sign of iron deficiency. Tea can also affect your absorption of iron.

If you are particularly fatigued it’s easy to reach for caffeine but once that initial kick wears off the more tired you will feel afterwards.

Caffeine is dehydrating and a diuretic so encourages frequent urination which could be depleting you of essential minerals. It is also acidic and increases inflammation in the body.

What to do:

  • Are you not sleeping enough which is why you feel fatigued? Work on having healthy sleeping patterns to help that feeling of needing a stimulant in the first place.
  • Magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds aid a good night’s sleep.
  • Also foods high in B Vitamins will support your energy levels, such as wholegrains, nuts and seeds and pulses, miso, engevita (natural yeast) flakes and fermented foods.
  • Good alternatives for tea and coffee are rooibos tea, nettle tea, Whole Earth No Caf or Barley Cup.

Why? Emotionally

Reaching for stimulants can be a sign of switching off our emotions, so are you feeling overwhelmed by something?

What to do:

  • Changing the way you look at things can change the way you see them.
  • Take a step back and try to put things in perspective.
  • Taking time out or using skills like meditation or yoga practice can help you feel more grounded emotionally.

CHOCOLATE

Why? Physically Cacao from the bean is rich in magnesium and is a powerful source of antioxidants. So craving chocolate can be a sure sign of magnesium deficiency. The problem is when we reach for processed chocolate that actually has very little cacao in it and is so full of sugar, flavourings and preservatives that it is far removed from what is considered a superfood. When cacao is heated, which is how they make standard chocolate, then all antioxidants are damaged.

What to do:

  • Make your own raw cacao chocolate treats using cacao paste or powder, cacao butter or coconut oil and a natural sweetener such as maple syrup, date syrup or stevia.
  • There are plenty of raw cacao recipes online. Eat these and you will truly understand why they call it a superfood.
  • Increase your magnesium by eating magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, sunflower seeds, wheatgrass, wholegrains and tonics like spirulina, wheatgrass or chlorella.
  • You could also consider epsom salt baths as these help you absorb magnesium through your skin as long as you don’t have any problems with your blood pressure, kidney issues or are pregnant.

Why? Emotionally

Cacao is also a serotonin booster so are you reaching for this sweet food as an emotional pick-me-up or are you ‘treating’ yourself during a stressful time.

What to do:

  • Acknowledge your emotions and maybe look at ways to resolve them through therapies or coaching.
  • Or look for other endorphin boosters (see above for sugar).

OILY FOODS

Why? Physically Craving oily foods is often a sign of calcium deficiency or that you are low in essential fatty acids.

What to do:

  • Up your intake of leafy green vegetables and choose foods that are a good source of healthy fats such as avocado, coconut oil and nuts and seeds.
  • Increase your Omega 3 essential fatty acids such as chia seeds, linseeds, flax oil, rapeseed oil, hemp seeds or hemp oil.

RED MEAT

Why? Physically Craving red meat is a sure sign of a need for iron-rich foods. Red meat is difficult to digest so consuming large quantities can really slow down the digestion causing constipation. Meat is also acidic on the system and consuming too many acidic foods can increase inflammation in the body as well as reduce our immune function.

What to do:

  • If you eat meat then choose organic, or grass-fed meat to get the most nutritional benefit.
  • Increase your iron-rich foods such as green vegetables, nettles, cherries, strawberries, avocado and seaweeds.
  • Increase Vitamin C-rich foods to help the absorption of iron – such as kiwi, citrus fruits, blueberries, sweet potato, or tonics like baobab and camu camu.

FIZZY DRINKS

Why? Physically Feeling like you need to have fizzy drinks is not just a craving for the sugar or caffeine (see above) but could also be a sign of calcium deficiency.

What to do:

  • Eat kale, spinach, broccoli, sesame seeds and carrots to increase your calcium levels naturally.

ICE OR COOL DRINKS

Why? Physically Wanting to crunch on ice could be a sign of lack of iron and wanting cool drinks can be a sign of manganese deficiency.

What to do:

  • Increase your iron-rich foods such as green vegetables, nettles, cherries, strawberries, avocado and seaweeds. Increase Vitamin C-rich foods to help the absorption of iron – such as kiwi, citrus fruits, blueberries, sweet potato, and tonics like baobab and camu camu.
  • Walnuts, almonds and pecans are a rich source of manganese.

Why? Emotionally

Manganese is the mineral that supports the mother and baby bonding so often cravings can appear at this time as our needs of this mineral increases.

CARBOHYDRATES – BEIGE FOODS

Why? Physically This craving is often linked to insulin resistance, hypoglycaemia (unbalanced blood sugar levels), chromium or fatigue. We often carb-load when we are feeling tired.

What to do:

  • Increase your fibre in your diet to help rebalance your blood sugar levels.
  • Also, as mentioned above, cinnamon is rich in chromium so can naturally help regulate blood sugar levels.
  • Eat apples, apricots, avocado, broccoli, brazil nuts, beetroot and carrots, nuts seeds, wholegrains and so on.

Why? Emotionally

Work on having healthy sleeping patterns to ensure you are getting enough sleep.

Rhi Hepple is the naturopathic nutritionist at The Hub. To book an appointment with her click here

Posted in Naturopathy