I have recently been thinking a lot of cravings mostly in regard to pregnancy, but also in general. There is a common belief that if you craving something, like really craving it, like you just simply can’t think past getting that thing in your belly, then your body must need it. And that is true to a certain extent. But not to the extent that you are really craving KFC therefore your body must be subliminally telling you that you simply must have deep fried seasoned chicken or you will be nutritionally deficient. The truth doesn’t quite stretch that far.
So how far does it stretch? Well quite far, but it isn’t as simple as craving chocolate there I must have chocolate. You might be craving one of the minerals FOUND in chocolate and your brain associates that mineral with that food type. So if you are craving, there are healthy options to look for to no only satisfy the craving but help stop them in future.
Here is a list of common cravings, what they mean and a healthy option to replace them:
|
Cheese |
Calcium deficiency |
Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens |
|
Pasta, white bread, pastries |
Chromium deficiency |
Onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, cinnamon, grapes, apples, sweet potato |
|
Bread and toast |
Nitrogen deficiency |
Foods containing proteins, i.e.. Green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains |
|
Red meat |
Iron deficiency |
Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C for iron absorption |
|
Potato chips |
Chloride deficiency |
Celery, olives, tomato, kelp, Himalayan sea salt |
|
SWEETS |
||
|
Chocolate |
Magnesium deficiency |
Raw cacao nibs/beans/powder, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, greens, fruit,magnesium |
|
Soft drinks |
Calcium deficiency |
Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens |
|
General sweets |
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) |
Fruit, high fibre foods (beans, legumes), complex carbs (grains), chromium (cinnamon) |
|
Tryptophan deficiency |
Spirulina, pumpkin/sesame/sunflower seeds, raw cacao, oatmeal, sweet potato, spinach, raisins |
|
|
Chromium deficiency |
Onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, cinnamon, grapes, apples, sweet potato |
|
|
Sulphur deficiency |
Cruciferous vege (kale, cabbage, etc), cranberries, horseradish, asparagus, carob powder, garlic, onion |
|
|
Phosphorus deficiency |
Whole grains, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, lentils |
|
|
|
|
|
Source: http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/