Do you experience an intense desire to consume specific sugary foods that feels stronger than normal hunger?   It is often the case with advertising that we are led to believe that food cravings are normal, but are food cravings normal?

On a personal level I have experienced long periods of time without any cravings, so this lead me to think about what is different between when I experience cravings and when I don’t.

Let’s explore the list of factors that I came up with;

Not eating right for Metabolic Type

You may not know your metabolic type, but if you do it will help you to understand your body and how it responds to certain foods.  I am a protein type, this means I need at least 45% of each meal to be derived from protein sources, 20% from oils/fats and just 35% from carbohydrates.  If I eat a banana on its own I am hungry again within the hour and can often crave more carbohydrate, however if I eat this along with some nuts I feel satisfied for much longer.

Leaving bigger gaps between meals & Tiredness/Low energy

Both of these factors have an impact on our blood sugar levels.  When our blood sugar levels go too low our need for foods which will boost our blood sugar levels quickly usually occurs.  The best thing we can do for ourselves wherever possible is to avoid leaving big gaps between meals and avoid late nights, but we all know life isn’t like that.  Sometimes no matter how organised we are, we can find ourselves in these situations.  Although it feels normal at this time to crave sugary food the best thing you can do at this time is to eat some nuts or yoghurt that will avoid the vicious cycle of blood sugar levels rapidly rising and falling.

When exercise levels reduce

Exercise and sleep are two ways to help facilitate the release of endorphins, when exercise levels are reduced the need for endorphins rises and cravings occur.  The best way to solve this is to keep to a regular exercise routine as much as possible.

When watching more TV

I don’t know about you but I am a sucker for food advertisements (especially marks and spencers) if I do not want to get drawn in I need to turn the channel quickly or look away.  If you are the same avoid watching the ads because you may not run out at that precise time to satisfy the temptation but it might catch up with you next time you are at the shops.

Low mood/feeling emotional –

This can be a psychological craving, however it is also physical as serotonin levels are probably altered causing the feeling/emotion.   The best way to boost serotonin and endorphins is to exercise regularly.  Another way is via your diet, but instead of sweet foods other foods such as milk, turkey, sesame and sunflower seeds which contain L-tryptophan can be consumed which naturally boost serotonin.

Other causes

Candida

Candida overgrowth in your intestines causes intense carbohydrate cravings.  These cravings promote the growth of intestinal yeast and having too much yeast in your gut makes you crave sugar, basically a vicious cycle. Candida is a type of yeast that is naturally present in everyone’s digestive tract; however if your immune system is weak, digestion is poor or if you over consume carbohydrate and sugary foods Candida levels can get out of control. Symptoms of excess Candida in the digestive tract include digestive discomfort (gas, bloating, and diarrhoea), fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, recurrent vaginal yeast infections (such as thrush), depression and sleep problems.

Stress

Excessive and prolonged physical or emotional stress can cause the body to produce too much cortisol which can play a role in craving “comfort” foods.  Cortisol is part of the fight or flight response, which increases the flow of glucose (as well as protein and fat) from your tissues and into the bloodstream to enable you to handle the stressful situation.  However we usually handle stress mentally, and not so much with physical activity which would burn the extra energy from the cortisol surge. Whether your stress was emotional or physical, the stress response is the same, which causes a spike in your appetite.

Should you suppress cravings or satisfy them?

To suppress

Instead of reaching for the treat that you are craving, instead drink water, have a cup of tea or herbal drink.  This will help to distract you and will also fill you up a little, which can trick your mind into feeling satisfied.

Distract your mind from the craving with another activity, fifteen minutes later you may find the craving has passed.

To satisfy

As long as you have not consumed too many treats already in the past week then it is ok every now and then to satisfy your craving, after all life is about balance.

Although it is advisable to make more sensible choices when doing so, for example 2 jaffa cakes contain 96 calories and 2 g of fat and a flake contains 180 calories and 10.4g of fat verses a Yorkie with 370 calories and 20.7g of fat and a double decker which contains 300 calories and 13.6g of fat.

Supplements which may help

According to Dr Briffa, author of Waist Disposal: The Ultimate fat loss manual for men, “supplementing with chromium can help to stabilise blood-sugar levels and curb carb-cravings in particular.”  He also recommends the amino acid glutamine to “help quell carb-cravings”.

The key thing when dealing with cravings is to understand firstly the cause and then wherever possible avoid the causing factor.  As long as you are satisfying the occasional craving and you have given yourself permission to enjoy the treat without feelings of guilt after then a little bit of what you fancy won’t harm you.   If cravings are more frequent and you cannot pinpoint what is causing them, I recommend keeping a daily food diary and comment at the end of each day, whether you had cravings and if so explore whether they may link the factors above.

The fact that there are so many factors that can cause cravings indicates to me that they are not necessary ‘normal’ but a response to these factors.  Therefore by getting to know your mind and body better you will be better equipped to handle yourself when the cravings do strike.