When dieting for weight loss, it is common to restrict overall food and calorie intake, and perhaps to limit or exclude certain foods such as candy or butter. Dieters may experience an increase in sensations of hunger or cravings for a particular food. A simple way to tell the difference between a craving and real hunger is to consider whether a food you are not craving would suffice. For example, if you are craving cheese, would crackers do? If the substituted food is acceptable to you, this indicates you are experiencing hunger. If it is unacceptable, you are more likely having a food craving. Consult your doctor for medical advice if you experience an increase in hunger or food cravings overall, since they may be indicative of an underlying medical condition.
Dieting and Cravings
According to a study published in the May 2007 issue of "The Proceedings of the Nutritional Society," diets and other situations that restrict or restrain your eating are likely to cause cravings. For example, if you are following a dairy-free diet, it is quite likely you will experience cravings for dairy foods. By contrast, fasting typically decreases the incidence of food cravings -- fasting also is noted to reduce hunger after a certain point.
Function of Cravings and Hunger
In simple terms, a sensation of hunger is your body's way of communicating a need for nutrition. Cravings for particular foods may -- in some cases -- arise when you are deficient in a certain nutrient. For example, a salt deficiency may lead to a craving for salty foods such as salted nuts, or chips. According to Dr. A.J. Hill of the University of Leeds School of Medicine, some food cravings do not fulfill a nutritional role but instead may have a psychological basis. If you self-restrict a particular food that you really enjoy -- for example, if you give up chocolate for a period of time -- it is likely you will crave that restricted food even though you may not nutritionally need it.
Hunger or Cravings as Symptoms
Increased or insatiable hunger -- or cravings for specific foods -- may be symptoms of various medical conditions or diseases. Online medical encyclopedia Medline Plus reports that increased hunger or appetite may occur as a result of anxiety, bulimia, diabetes mellitus, pre-menstrual syndrome, Graves' disease or hyperthyroidism. Additionally, increased hunger or food cravings may be a side effect of certain commonly prescribed medications. These include tricyclic antidepressants, corticosteroids and the anti-allergy medication cyproheptadine.
Psychological and Neurological Connections
An article published in the July 2002 issue of the journal "Physiology and Behavior" indicates that connections exist between a propensity for food cravings and cravings for addictive drugs or compulsive behaviors. Marcia Pelchat of the Monell Chemical Senses Center indicates that individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol may exhibit food cravings for sweet foods. Furthermore, the likelihood of food cravings appears to decrease with age, as elderly individuals experience relatively fewer cravings than younger people.
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