Food Cravings II

You don't simply want a hot fudge brownie sundae -- you are desperate for it. And nothing else -- not even that creamy cheesecake in the fridge -- will do. Sound familiar? If so, you are one of the millions of Americans who experience food cravings on a regular basis.

You can actually crave, or intensely desire, almost anything. Chilly weather can inspire cravings for a wooly sweater, a crackling fire or a hot bubble bath. Work stress can leave you craving a vacation. But type the word "craving" into almost any search engine and what you'll get is primarily food-related results. And ask a friend to share her top cravings -- and she'll probably rattle off a list of foods.

Around 75 percent of people crave foods routinely, says Susan B Roberts, a professor of nutrition at Tufts University and author of “The ‘I’ Diet” -- and more so women than men. How you respond to your own food cravings can play an important role in your physical and emotional wellness.

Physical Factors

More than 21 million Americans experience depression each year, according to Mental Health America. Low serotonin levels associated with the condition inspire food cravings in many, notes Simon Casey, a licensed therapist and author of “Secrets to Emotional Wealth: Follow Your Yellow Brick Road.”

This is because carbohydrates help your brain produce serotonin -- a chemical that allows you to experience relaxation, satisfaction and contentment.

“People with low serotonin levels use carbs for a quick fix to feel good even though it's short-lived,” explains Casey.

Refined foods, like sweets, salty snacks and commercial baked goods, provide the fastest-acting carbohydrates. So the lower your serotonin levels drop, the more intense your cravings for such foods can become. Many refined foods also contain few nutrients, making way for cravings associated with nutrient deficiencies. When you lack particular nutrients, your brain cues your body to desire foods that contain them.

Because hormones help regulate your appetite and moods, food cravings also derive from hormonal conditions, including premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy, menopause and thyroid disease.

And going too long without eating will lead to low blood sugar, which will increase the urge to eat carbs, notes Martha McKittrick, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator New York City. “I doubt many of you crave broccoli when you haven’t eaten for eight hours. My guess is that you would be looking for something starchy or sugary,” she said.

And those starchy and sugary foods, such as cookies, candy, white bread and potato chips, are high glycemic, meaning they have a significant impact on your blood sugar. Indulging in these foods, particularly in large quantities, can stimulate hunger and an urge to eat more carbohydrates.

But eating too little can have similar effects. “When you consume too few calories your hypothalamus produces extra neuropeptide Y, a chemical messenger that encourages you to eat more carbohydrates,” said McKittrick. “In addition, the hypothalamus secretes another chemical called galanin, which increases cravings for foods rich in fat and carbs.”

Emotional Factors

Stress, anxiety, loneliness, disappointment, boredom and even excitement can fuel cravings for particular foods. You may crave food as a means of distraction from stressful situations -- or crave comfort foods you enjoyed as a child when you miss loved ones. If your emotions are closely linked to your eating habits, you may crave and reach for snack foods without even realizing the emotional influences at play.

In a study published in "Physiology & Behavior" in September 2009, researchers analyzed the cravings and emotional status of 198 obese women. The women craved chocolate more so than any other food. Women enduring psychological distress showed significantly more cravings for high-fat sweets compared to non-stressed participants. Women experiencing PMS showed increased cravings for fast food.

The emotional consequences of food cravings makes way for a catch-22. Resisting foods you crave can increase your desire for them, make you feel anxious -- and ultimately, lead to overeating later on. Feeding your cravings can lead to a feeling of shame and frustration -- stimulating emotional eating, or eating in response to emotional cues rather than physical ones.

"Almost nobody feels good about craving things,” says Roberts. “Most people feel bad because they feel out of control and [experience] weight gain."

Guilt from feeding your cravings, as well as anxiety from trying to resist them causes stress -- which increases the production of cortisol, a hormone directly linked to weight gain and fat storage. In other words, indulging or resisting the foods you crave may contribute to added pounds.

To combat the excess pounds, many food-cravers turn to dieting -- particularly fad diets, which fall short when it comes to providing adequate nutrition. The National Eating Disorders Association explains that denying your body the essential, well-balanced nutrients and calories it needs to function properly increases your risk for food cravings and its complications -- including binge eating, a slowed metabolism, weight gain, sleep problems, added stress, anxiety and depressive moods. Because negative emotions and poor sleep also contribute to food cravings, this creates a snowball effect.

Management

The good news is that the food-craving snowball can reverse directions. Once you've addressed any underlying cause, particularly if it involves medical treatment, altering your dietary habits can help minimize your cravings.

You can start by eating more more nutritious foods. Unlike fatty, sugary and salty foods, natural whole foods work against cravings.

“Protein helps maintain blood sugar levels and promotes satiety,” said McKittrick. “Therefore, you feel full longer when you include protein at meals.”

So rather than filling your plate with pasta and bread alone, incorporate grilled fish or chicken into your meal. Other nutritious protein sources include low-fat dairy products, beans, lentils, egg whites, nuts, tofu and lean red meat.

Healthy carbohydrate sources, like whole grains and starchy vegetables, help prevent cravings by providing ample fiber and other nutrients. Fiber promotes satiation, keeping you fuller longer between meals. Healthy carbohydrate sources also take longer to eat than refined foods and provide nutritious alternatives to appetite-stimulating foods, lowering your risk for cravings associated with nutrient deficiencies.

To dodge cravings caused by blood sugar decline, aim for balanced meals and snacks throughout each day and limit “treat” foods, like sweets, french fries and potato chips, to occasional or modest-sized portions. But you don't have to eliminate them.

“It's important to note that the overall pattern of cravings is more revealing than any one craving,” said Minh-Hai Tran, a registered dietitian and certified sports nutritionist. “Dieting or labeling certain foods ‘off-limits’ often leads to increased cravings of those very foods. I say go for what you want!"

In some cases, nutritious alternatives to the foods you crave work well. Organic dark chocolate, for example, provides a healthy alternative to conventional candy. If only "regular" candy will do, however, Tran recommends eating a reasonable-size portion mindfully. Eating in a calm atmosphere, savoring each bite and honing in on tastes, textures and your emotions can enhance enjoyment and prevent you from eating straight through your body’s “I’m full” cues.

“A mild craving will often pass easily with time,” says Tran. “This is different than physical hunger, which grows stronger over time if the physical need for food is not met. Sometimes, the best response to a craving is to allow yourself a portion of the desired food and really enjoy each bite mindfully so that the food can do its job, which is to satisfy you. Then you can move on with your day rather than having the food become a bigger deal than it is because it's ‘forbidden.’”

Other important lifestyle factors that can help stave off cravings include healthy sleep habits, regular physical activity and managing stress.