Thrive Nutritional Health

A food craving is an overwhelming need to consume a specific food – it’s not the same as hunger! Being able to identify the reasons behind your food cravings is the first step to overcoming them.

Could one of the following be the trigger for your cravings?

* Stress and emotion can lead to cravings for ‘comfort’ foods due to the ‘feel good’ endorphins released after eating them.

* Hormone imbalance can lead to cravings for carbohydrates in the week leading up to a woman’s periods, due to the body’s role in converting carbohydrates to the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin.

* Thirst! The body finds it hard to differentiate between hunger and thirst, so can become confused between the two. Staying hydrated can reduce food cravings.

* Lack of sleep increases activity in the area of the brain known as the amygdala, which is responsible for promoting cravings and poor food choices.

* ‘Triggers and associations’; whereby the brain links certain actions or behaviours to specific foods e.g the kids are in bed, now I can eat chocolate! Break the cycle by first identifying your triggers, then replace them with a positive action or ‘reward’.

* Nutrient deficiencies may also cause cravings for foods containing nutrients the body is lacking.

Which foods are you craving? Chocolate, cheese, carbs, sweets, crisps, spicy foods? I’ll explain what cravings for each food may mean in my next post.