Cravings can serve as a window to what’s going on in your body. Before you indulge, stop and consider what it is that’s actually going on inside. Sometimes our cravings serve a purpose. They can tell us we’re lacking in a certain vitamin or mineral. But they can also tell us we’re eating too much of something and our bodies are just trying to get their fix, like an addiction. So how can we tell which cravings we should give into?
Alissa Ramsey MS, RD told Marie Claire what each craving could actually mean.
Pasta
Who doesn’t love a big bowl of comfort food? But a craving for pasta could mean that you’re not eating enough protein or fat. Without these essential compounds, blood sugar levels fluctuate causing you to crave even more carbs. Simple carbs like pasta are treated in the same way as sugar once they are digested, said Ramsey, so you’ll keep craving more and never get out of this rut.
Candy
Same thing goes for candy. The more you eat it, the more you want it. A candy craving could also mean you’re eating too much pasta, bread or other carbs. Because the simple carbohydrates spike your blood sugar, you’re energy will crash causing you to crave more sugar, explained Ramsey.
cheese
A cheese craving could mean you’re not eating enough fat. This might sound like the green light to gorge, but hold up. This specifically means omega-3 fatty acids including foods like flaxseeds, walnuts and salmon.
French Fries
“Salt cravings can occur if you’re falling short on minerals, specifically calcium, magnesium, and zinc,” Rumsey said. But this craving could also mean something else. A hankering for carbs fried in oil could mean you’re part of the 90 percent of Americans who consume too much salt. Eating less salt to begin with will probably tame your cravings for french fries and other salty foods.
Red Meat
Ramsey warns that not all cravings are evidence of a dietary deficiency. “If that was the case, we’d all be craving fruits and vegetables!” But a drive towards red meat could mean your body is craving iron.
For more, visit Marie Claire.
