It's nice to think that your craving for a certain food -- such as ice cream -- indicates that your body really needs the vitamins it contains, but that's not always the case. In some cases, you may crave foods or substances that don't have any benefit and may actually harm you. Food cravings may indicate a vitamin deficiency, but the foods you crave may not contain that vitamin. Food cravings can also have a psychological rather than a physiological cause.
Carbohydrate Cravings
Women in particular often develop cravings for certain types of carbohydrates. Carbohydrate cravings do not indicate that you need carbs or that you have a vitamin deficiency related to carbohydrates, Women to Women cautions. Carbohydrates cravings may indicate insulin resistance, a metabolic reaction that affects the ways cells remove glucose from your bloodstream. Cutting down on simple carbs rather than eating them in hopes of correcting a vitamin deficiency helps reduce insulin resistance. Flaxseed oil can also help reduce carb craving, nutritionist Russell J. Martino, Ph.D. reports.
Pica
Lack of iron in your diet can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. While iron-deficiency anemia can cause unusual cravings, called pica, the substances you crave do not generally contain large amounts of iron. People with pica may crave ice, starch, dirt, clay, hairballs or sand. If you have pica, see your doctor for a simple blood test. Taking iron supplements or eating foods rich in iron such as animal protein or vegetables high in non-heme iron will treat iron deficiency better than eating the foods or non-foods you crave. Pica occurs commonly in children; between 10 and 32 percent exhibit signs of pica, according to MedlinePlus. Not all have vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
Chocolate
Chocolate ranks high on the lists of foods people crave. Women often crave chocolate just before their menstrual periods start, possibly due to hormonal changes at that time. Vitamin B-complex or magnesium deficiency can cause chocolate cravings, Dr. Martino claims. Taking a food vitamin and mineral supplement along with flaxseed can help end your chocolate cravings.
Considerations
Everyone finds themselves craving certain foods once in a while, but if you continually crave a certain type of food, ask your doctor to check for vitamin deficiencies with a simple blood test. Food cravings can lead to binge eating that could put you at risk of obesity and the associated health issue, not to mention the guilt you may feel whenever you overindulge.
References
- Women to Women: Symptoms --- Food Cravings
- MedlinePlus; Pica; February 2010
- Dr. Russell's Health and Weight Loss Blog; All About Food Cravings... Understanding Food Cravings... How To Overcome Food Cravings and More; Russell Martino, Ph.D.; July 2008
- ScienceDaily; The Psychology of Food Cravings; May 2010
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