5 Food Cravings and Their Hidden Meanings

5 Food Cravings and Their Hidden Meanings

Food Cravings And What They Mean

Food cravings do not have to mean that it is the end of your healthy eating habits. They can be a way that your body is telling you what it really needs to be able to function at its best. There are many hidden meanings behind food cravings and it is important to interpret them. If you have cravings regularly, you should try to find out what your body is trying to say.


Here are 5 Common Food Cravings and the Meaning Behind Them.

1. Chocolate:

Chocolate Cravings And What They Mean

This is the most common one of all food cravings, and one that you should not ignore. It is no big surprise that chocolate is the most common food craving because it works on the endorphins, which is what makes us feel good. Feeling good is not a bad thing to crave, so you really do not want to deprive yourself of chocolate for a long period.


What Your Body Really Wants:

When you crave chocolate, what your body is really asking for is magnesium. Apart from its effect on brain chemistry, chocolate also has magnesium, which is a mineral that is essential to many different functions of the body, including providing you with energy and relaxing blood vessels.


2. Bread:

Bread Cravings And What They Mean

This is another food craving that frequently pops up. It is really no surprise as it has become an ingrained habit in the modern world. However, it has been shown multiple times that eating too much grain can have an adverse effect on blood sugar levels and increase carb count, leading to weight gain.


What Your Body Really Wants:

When you have a craving for bread, what your body is really in need of is amino acids. When it comes to the amino acid department, your body needs a bit of help as it cannot produce these essential acids on its own. You can get amino acids from healthier alternatives to bread such as eggs, fish and nuts. You can also try a serving of quinoa, which is rich in the complete set of all amino acids as well as vital vitamins, minerals and fibre.


3. Sugar:

Sugar Cravings And What They Mean

Sugar craving is a craving that is hard to kick. This is because no matter where you turn, there are sugar-laden temptations everywhere. Many sweets do not offer much when it comes to nutrition and are nothing but a way to satisfy your sweet tooth. You are left with nothing but regret after eating them.


What Your Body Really Wants:

When you have a sugar craving, what your body is really asking for is glucose. It really does need some amount of glucose to balance your blood sugar levels and make it through the day. You cannot abstain from all forms of sugar, so what you should do is ensure that you get fibre, vitamins and minerals along with glucose. Fruits are a great source of glucose and they contain fructose, antioxidants as well as other essential nutrients.


4. Fried Foods:

Fried Foods Cravings And What They Mean

How can you not crave fried foods? They are so delicious and smell so good. Massive pleasure signals are sent to the brain, which is many times, it seems like you cannot go without fried food for long periods.


What Your Body Really Wants:

When you are craving fried foods, what your body is really asking for is healthy fat. This is actually what makes you feel full and gets rid of excess fat from your body. You should make sure that you get both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Avocados are a great source of these healthy fats as well as nuts such as cashews and almonds.


5. Fizzy Drinks:

Fizzy Drinks Cravings And What They Mean

Sometimes you crave a nice fizzy drink. Have you ever wondered why? Apart from the novelty of an effervescent beverage, there could be a deeper meaning behind your craving for such drinks.


What Your Body Really Wants:

This is a sign that what your body is really asking for is hydration. It may be that in your mind, you have associated the sensation you get on your lips when you drink fizzy drinks with the intake of fluids, and your body is asking for these beverages because it is looking for hydration. However, keep in mind that these drinks are full of caffeine, sugar and other chemicals, and can dehydrate your body. You should go for mineral water. It provides important minerals that your body needs instead of depleting them.

There are ways to satisfy your cravings and still eat healthy. You can make sure that you give what your body is asking for and needs to make sure that it functions properly at all times.

Reviewed By:

Dr. Kaushal M. Bhavsar (MBBS, MD)

Assistant Professor in Pulmonary Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad