Gotta Have It: The Truth about Food Cravings and How to Take Control

What are Food Cravings?

Food cravings are intense desires to consume specific foods, more robust than normal hunger. Cravings differ from regular hunger because they involve an intense urge for a specific food, whereas hunger is just a desire to eat.

The most common food cravings include:

• Chocolate

•  Salty snacks

•  Sweet baked goods

•  Cheese and dairy

•  Fast food

Cravings differ from normal hunger in a few key ways:

• Specificity - Cravings target specific foods rather than just energy/calories. Hunger does not discriminate regarding where calories come from.

• Intensity - Food cravings create an intense urge to seek out and consume the craved food. Hunger is not as emotionally charged.

• Persistence - Cravings can persist even after eating a full meal. Hunger dissipates after eating.

• Timing - Cravings may arise independent of normal hunger cues, even shortly after eating.

Understanding the differences between cravings and hunger can help people make healthier choices about addressing these urges.

Causes of Food Cravings

Various factors, both physical and psychological, can influence food cravings. Here are some of the main causes that lead to cravings:

Hormonal Factors

• Fluctuations in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, serotonin, and dopamine can increase cravings, especially during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.

• Low blood sugar levels also stimulate cravings as the body tries to balance blood sugar.

Nutrient Deficiencies

• Cravings for specific foods like chocolate or meat can indicate that your body lacks certain nutrients like magnesium, antioxidants, iron, and protein.

• Nutrient deficiencies trigger cravings as a way for your body to get the nutrients it needs.

Stress and Emotions

• Stress causes cortisol levels to rise, increasing appetite and cravings for comfort foods high in sugar and fat.

• Emotions like boredom, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, frustration, guilt, and depression can also trigger food cravings.

Habit and Conditioning

• Eating patterns and habits formed over time can reinforce cravings. Always craving dessert after dinner can be a habit.

• Foods associated with positive emotions or feelings can become conditioned cravings. For example, always craving popcorn during movie night.

Are Food Cravings Harmful?

Food cravings are a common experience for most people. But are they actually harmful or something to worry about? The answer is complicated because it really depends on the individual, how often the cravings occur, and your ability to control them.

On one hand, giving in to cravings too often can potentially lead to overeating, weight gain, and unhealthy food choices. If you frequently feel like you can’t control your desire for certain foods, it may signal an unhealthy relationship with food. Frequently indulging in cravings for salty, sugary, or fatty foods isn’t the best in terms of nutrition.

However, for many people, occasional food cravings are just a normal part of human biology and do not cause any issues. If you can indulge in a craving here and there while generally maintaining healthy eating habits, it is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, completely restricting favorite foods can backfire and cause even stronger cravings.

Managing and Controlling Cravings

While food cravings are normal, there are ways to manage and control them so they don’t lead to unhealthy eating patterns or weight gain. Here are some strategies:

Wait It Out

Cravings are often temporary. The intensity may pass or decrease if you wait 10-15 minutes. Distract yourself with an activity during this time.

Address Causes

Look at underlying reasons for cravings like stress, poor sleep, dehydration, or nutritional deficiencies. Make lifestyle changes to address the root causes.

Mindfulness

Practice mindfulness when a craving strikes. Observe it without judgment, accept it, and watch it fade. Mindful eating helps you tune into physical vs. emotional hunger.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT techniques help resist cravings by identifying distorted thoughts like ”I deserve this food” and replacing them with more realistic thoughts.

Healthy Substitutions

Swap unhealthy foods you crave with healthier options. For a chocolate craving, try cacao nibs or dark chocolate with fruit.

Distract Yourself

Keep busy with activities or call a friend when cravings hit. Even short distractions of 5 minutes can help cravings pass.

Eat Regularly

Don’t wait too long between meals. Eating small, frequent, protein-rich meals helps stabilize blood sugar and prevents intense hunger leading to cravings.

The key is having a plan to manage cravings effectively when they arise. With practice, it becomes easier to resist temptations and make healthier choices.

Healthy Alternatives to Cravings

Cravings don’t have to sabotage your health goals. With a few simple swaps and strategies, you can satisfy cravings in a more healthy way.

Swaps for Common Cravings

Chocolate cravings: Opt for a small portion of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao). The bitterness helps keep portion sizes in check. Fruit dipped in dark chocolate is another good option.

Salty snack cravings: Try roasted chickpeas or edamame seasoned with spices. Popcorn is another alternative (go easy on the butter and salt). Baked kale or zucchini chips can also hit the spot.

Sweet cravings: Fruits like berries, bananas, and melon can satisfy a sweet tooth. Berries with plain Greek yogurt is a parfait-style treat. Dates, figs, and prunes are naturally sweet options too.

Ice cream cravings: Make “ice” cream by blending frozen bananas into a creamy, ice cream-like texture. Adding cocoa powder or peanut butter enhances the flavor. Frozen yogurt tubes or bars are lower in fat than ice cream.

Crunchy cravings: Try roasted nuts (portion controlled), air-popped popcorn, sliced veggies and hummus, or apple slices with natural peanut butter.

Healthy Ways to Satisfy Cravings

• Drink water first since thirst is often confused for hunger.

• Wait 15-20 minutes and see if the craving passes.

• Distract yourself with a walk, phone call, hobby, or other activity.

• Plan treats into your diet in moderation so they don’t feel forbidden.

• Keep healthier alternatives on hand to grab when a craving strikes.

Let’s sum it up

Food cravings are a common experience for most people. This article taught us that biological factors like hormone fluctuations and psychological factors like stress or boredom can cause cravings. The most common food cravings are for sweets, salty snacks, carbohydrates, and fat.

While food cravings are not necessarily harmful in moderation, they can sometimes lead to overeating unhealthy foods. The best ways to manage cravings include identifying and addressing the underlying cause, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and keeping balanced nutrition.

The key points to remember are that food cravings are normal but can be managed through healthy lifestyle strategies. Paying attention to patterns in when and why cravings arise can provide insight into what needs are not being met. Addressing those core needs, rather than just suppressing cravings, leads to the best long-term health outcomes. With some self-awareness and healthy substitutions, food cravings can be handled constructively.