Food Craving - The Real Culprits

A food craving (also called as moreishness) is an intense desire to consume a specific food, and is different from normal hunger.

While cravings can mean a number of things including psychological reasons, a strong craving usually indicates your body is low in a specific nutrient, vitamin or mineral. Cravings are an indication that it wants to make sure it gets what it needs. However, we have so much processed unnatural food at our disposal that we often get confused about what our bodies are actually asking for. The foods you crave may NOT contain the nutrients and often we eat unhealthy empty calories instead of nutrient dense whole foods. The most common foods we crave are sugar, carbohydrates, chocolate salt and for some fried foods and cheese. 

We all have them , but do we really understand why?  Lets walk through the main causes of our cravings:

1. Low levels of  Serotonin : This neurotransmitter produced by our GI tract is known to have a strong influence on mood, appetite and digestion. Eating carbohydrates and sugar increases the release of Serotonin making us feel temporarily Fabulous. It is “low serotonin levels that makes us crave more food”. Low levels of this hormone as per studies includes depression, alcohol consumption, anxiety and poor gut health (as 90% or more serotonin is made in the gut)
2. Feel good “Endorphins” : Eating carbohydrates, sugar, chocolate and even salt increases the production of endorphins in the body. These are human produced opiates that make us feel relaxed. They are also produced during sleep and exercise. Thus, when we eat food and experience the feeling, we always want more.
3. Emotional triggers : This is the most common amongst many of us. When sadness, boredness, stress or poor self esteem sets in, it often prompts us to look out for more and more food wherever we are. But since food cravings are often fleeting and disappear within an hour, choosing to eat a healthier food for the time being or opting for a mood-boosting activity may give you enough satisfaction in the moment while the craving passes.
4. Wonky Gut: As we know, your gut is the epicenter of serotonin production, your gut needs to be at its best in order to absorb nutrients from your food and pump out the right amount of serotonin through your gastrointestinal tract. This process depends on the healthy levels of your digestive enzymes and also a proper balance of our gut bacteria. Thus, when bad bacteria in your gut overpowers the good ones, there is a strong chance that your craving s appear. Cultivating a good balance of good bacteria (by eating fermented foods and embracing other gut healthy habits) may foster intestinal peace to calm your cravings.

IS THIS YOU SOMETIMES ?

Is that sweet tooth raging out of control ? Do you wish to grab a chocolate bar or a piece of cake  to cope with your afternoon slump and then reach out to a can of cola to get out of your post slump?

Everybody has weak moments in their diet when they can practically taste the salty, sweet, crunchy or fatty foods they crave. Yes, these are often the foods that undermine your efforts to lose weight. After all, when was the last time you complained about craving cauliflower?

There surely is a way to tame those cravings . Let us teach your home with these quick tips:

It may take time to get a handle on to your cravings, but a few actionable tips (as mentioned above) can help you implement right away to stop Food Cravings.

DON’T FORGET TO OUTSMART THE FOOD CRAVING BY SIMPLY TELLING YOURSELF 

"PUT IT BACK IT'S NOT WORTH IT"