This Is What Your Food Cravings Say About Your Health
There are so many cravings out there. Some people salivate over the thought of salty potato chips. Others yearn for the melt-in-your-mouth sensation of a piece of chocolate. Others want the two combined — chocolate covered pretzels anyone? Sometimes the dire need for a cheesy piece of pizza comes out of nowhere, and you just can't kick the thought of biting into the warm and gooey goodness, so you order up a pie pronto! But what does what you crave say about your health?
No one's totally sure why people crave what they do, but nutritionists think it may have something to do with a deficiency in your health.
Chocolate
Chocolate is high in sugars and fats, and people seem to crave them when they think something's going on in their life that justifies every bite. Are you getting your period? Feeling extra emotional? Are you just having a bad day? Chocolates are complete with mood enhancers that might make you yearn for them in these times.
Cheese or Pizza
Pizza makes people do the food dance, but perhaps cravings like this mean you're not getting enough vitamin D, since cheese and pizza are full of fat, which you might not be getting enough of in your day-to-day diet.
Ice Cream
Are you feeling like life is escaping you due to work? Long days at the office make way for hard work and little to no play. You crave ice cream for its comforting qualities and ability to provide a nostalgia of childhood times, or carefree summers. Maybe it's time for a vacation.
Salty Foods like French Fries
When you're dehydrated, your body responds in mysterious ways. You might even find yourself craving salty foods, since salt helps to retain water. Are your dehydrated? Make sure you're drinking plenty of water each and every day to keep these unnecessary cravings at bay.
Another way people prefer their salt is in chips and fries. This can be a sign of stress in your life, since studies have found that bites with a crunch help to lessen stress levels. Research at the University of Utah also found that those who breathe deeply and even meditate before opting for salty foods had a reduction in their stress hormones by 30 percent. The binging on such pleasures was cut in half due to this.
Meats like Steaks and Burgers
Are you working out a lot and not incorporating enough protein? This may be the cause for your meat cravings. Try to incorporate one gram of protein for every pound you weigh on days that you work out. And if you're looking to shed pounds, ingest one gram of protein for every pound of the weight you wish to reach.
This craving can also be a sign of lower levels of vitamin B or iron. Make sure to cook your meats and burgers at home to ensure they are the healthiest.
If you feel like cravings rule your world, try to incorporate a tall glass of water. Wait half an hour to see if the craving is still lurking around before indulging, because chances are, you were just dehydrated!
What's your biggest craving?
Source: The Quint
Do you follow us on Instagram?
[caption id="attachment_114498" align="alignnone" width="100"] @BodyRockTV[/caption]
@BodyRockTV[/caption]