Does your body need the things it craves?

tannibal_lecter

Im on the Mediterranean diet, as recommended by my doctor. I eat lots of fish and a little chicken and heart healthy fats along with tonnes of veggies and whole food only. I was doing really well for 45 days, dropped 10 pounds, but now I'm craving all the carbs. It seems everyone is telling me "your body needs the things its craving" but since I'm craving Doritos I really can't see the logic.

Why would I start craving these things now? I have been resisting but it is hard. Any nutrition experts out there? Do you have the answer?

galgenstrick

Everyone has cravings. and everyone craves junk food from time to time. That's why I suggest fitting the things you like into your diet in small quantities. You can do it as a scheduled cheat meal, or if you're more disciplined you can have the things you like every day in small quantities.

Since your doctor has you on a specific diet, I would talk to him/her about how you can fit in the food you like once in a while to keep the cravings down. just tell them that you don't think your diet is sustainable if you have to eliminate those foods completely.

Machka9

How's your salt intake?


When you crave something ... and especially if you crave it over several days ... your body needs something. It doesn't necessarily need exactly what you're craving, but it needs something.

For example, I was craving potato chips day in and day out for about a month just before I started logging here. When I started logging here, I discovered that my salt intake was less than half the recommended amount. I started salting my food ... and the craving for potato chips went away.

tannibal_lecter

I fear (from past shameful experience) that if I cheat I will fall off the bandwagon altogether. I don't think I have the willpower to cheat.

Meganthedogmom

I have heard the same thing, like your body is craving some mineral or vitamin that is in the food you're craving.
That's why when you drink/you're hungover, you're craving all kinds of foods, because the alcohol has drained your nutrients.

However, not sure what nutrients would be in Doritos. Also not sure why I am still craving Oreos

galgenstrick

meganridenour wrote: »

I have heard the same thing, like your body is craving some mineral or vitamin that is in the food you're craving.
That's why when you drink/you're hungover, you're craving all kinds of foods, because the alcohol has drained your nutrients.

However, not sure what nutrients would be in Doritos. Also not sure why I am still craving Oreos

you're hung over because alcohol is a diuretic, not because your nutrients are drained.

tannibal_lecter

I'm supposed to aim for about 1500mg a day of sodium. My diet is for heart health.

Justygirl77

I wouldn't trust that craving lol. But maybe if you wanted something salty, you could eat some celery with almond butter? Celery has a good kind of sodium, and you can get unsalted almond butter. Yum.
What are you eating daily?

galgenstrick

Justygirl77 wrote: »

I wouldn't trust that craving lol. But maybe if you wanted something salty, you could eat some celery with almond butter? Celery has a good kind of sodium, and you can get unsalted almond butter. Yum.
What are you eating daily?

what kind of sodium is that?

tannibal_lecter

Justygirl77 wrote: »

I wouldn't trust that craving lol. But maybe if you wanted something salty, you could eat some celery with almond butter? Celery has a good kind of sodium, and you can get unsalted almond butter. Yum.
What are you eating daily?

I believe my diary is open for viewing. You can check it out. I will just go check my privacy settings to be sure.

tannibal_lecter

Yeah isn't sodium the same wherever you get it from?

mewkiyoko

I think everyone is different. I too was on a super low carb diet, only eating whole foods for months, over time I would give myself a "cheat" day and I would just binge on sweets and other carbs. I learned moderation over deprivation. I still try to eat plenty of veggies and lean protein and healthier carbs, but I fit in bits of my craving here and there and treat myself when I work hard.

i4gv777

I am an emotional eater and when things get tough I turn to food for comfort. I've just become aware of doing this, so now I try to find other ways to console myself.:-) Also I too have heard that cravings can be a sign of needing certain vitamins or minerals.

CherokeeBabe

galgenstrick wrote: »

meganridenour wrote: »

I have heard the same thing, like your body is craving some mineral or vitamin that is in the food you're craving.
That's why when you drink/you're hungover, you're craving all kinds of foods, because the alcohol has drained your nutrients.

However, not sure what nutrients would be in Doritos. Also not sure why I am still craving Oreos

you're hung over because alcohol is a diuretic, not because your nutrients are drained.

Nutrients will get screwed up if it's an alcoholic/frequent drinking situation. For a normal social drinker/occasional drinker, not so much.

Soopatt

Can also be a sign of self sabotage. We all have a lot of emotional reasons behind why we do those things we do and if a part of us feels we do not deserve to be thin (or thin is bad, thin is vain, thin will get me the wrong kind of attention) then we start doing things that are not in the interests of that goal.

Outside of that, there are some interesting theories around our gut bacteria pushing our cravings in a certain direction. Worth a google.

Meganthedogmom

galgenstrick wrote: »

meganridenour wrote: »

I have heard the same thing, like your body is craving some mineral or vitamin that is in the food you're craving.
That's why when you drink/you're hungover, you're craving all kinds of foods, because the alcohol has drained your nutrients.

However, not sure what nutrients would be in Doritos. Also not sure why I am still craving Oreos

you're hung over because alcohol is a diuretic, not because your nutrients are drained.

Drinking alcohol depletes vitamins in your system. It's a fact.

galgenstrick

meganridenour wrote: »

galgenstrick wrote: »

meganridenour wrote: »

I have heard the same thing, like your body is craving some mineral or vitamin that is in the food you're craving.
That's why when you drink/you're hungover, you're craving all kinds of foods, because the alcohol has drained your nutrients.

However, not sure what nutrients would be in Doritos. Also not sure why I am still craving Oreos

you're hung over because alcohol is a diuretic, not because your nutrients are drained.

Drinking alcohol depletes vitamins in your system. It's a fact.

I didn't argue that. What I said was the feeling you get when you're hung over is primarily because your dehydrated, not because your craving nutrients.

Francl27

Is your period due? It makes my carb cravings way worse (and typically not sweets either).

But no, I think otherwise cravings are totally a mind thing.

bluworld

No, cravings are a preference, not a need.

avskk

I think some cravings can be an indicator of things the body needs, but it's important to put some thought into a) identifying those cravings as distinct from "the gimmes," and b) considering what the craving is trying to tell us and whether the food we're craving is the best source of what we need.

What I mean is, if I'm suddenly overwhelmed by an urge for brownies, I stop and think: Do I feel a physical craving or do I simply want brownies? And if I'm feeling a physical craving, what is the likely true source of that craving? At that point I look back at my diary and figure out what brownies have that I haven't been getting -- have I gone too low on carbs on heavy workout days, has my diet been unusually low on sugars leading to a glucose drop? Once I've identified that I think about whether there are better options to fulfill my needs, like if I've been too low on carbs I might include quinoa or rice with dinner, turn my planned lunch salad into a sandwich on oat bread, etc.

It sounds time-consuming as all hell, but the whole process really only takes a couple of minutes. It's just about stopping and putting some thought in before indulging. And, of course, sometimes I just want a brownie and I have one! Or I crave quesadillas because I haven't been eating enough fat, I know there are healthier options like avocado salad, but I go with the quesadilla anyway because it's tastier. The process isn't meant to totally eliminate enjoyment, but just to make me mindful of how I respond to cravings.

Unknown

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tannibal_lecter

I spend a lot of time prelogging to make my macronutrient and vitamin goals so I'm sure I'm getting everything. I think I read somewhere that as you start losing body fat your brain starts to panic and tells you to eat the crap you used to. Kinda makes sense.

lemurcat12

avskk wrote: »

I think some cravings can be an indicator of things the body needs, but it's important to put some thought into a) identifying those cravings as distinct from "the gimmes," and b) considering what the craving is trying to tell us and whether the food we're craving is the best source of what we need.

What I mean is, if I'm suddenly overwhelmed by an urge for brownies, I stop and think: Do I feel a physical craving or do I simply want brownies? And if I'm feeling a physical craving, what is the likely true source of that craving? At that point I look back at my diary and figure out what brownies have that I haven't been getting -- have I gone too low on carbs on heavy workout days, has my diet been unusually low on sugars leading to a glucose drop? Once I've identified that I think about whether there are better options to fulfill my needs, like if I've been too low on carbs I might include quinoa or rice with dinner, turn my planned lunch salad into a sandwich on oat bread, etc.

It sounds time-consuming as all hell, but the whole process really only takes a couple of minutes. It's just about stopping and putting some thought in before indulging. And, of course, sometimes I just want a brownie and I have one! Or I crave quesadillas because I haven't been eating enough fat, I know there are healthier options like avocado salad, but I go with the quesadilla anyway because it's tastier. The process isn't meant to totally eliminate enjoyment, but just to make me mindful of how I respond to cravings.

+1 -- I do something similar and find it really helpful.

Re craving Doritos, for me that would be a salt craving, and I don't think people only crave salt when they have a need for sodium, I think people have evolved to find certain tastes, like salt (and sweet) extremely palatable, so tend to crave these sorts of foods if they haven't been having them. I can generally satisfy it by having something else that meets the craving--olives, for example--but if you have a reason to be on a reduced sodium diet you'd want to experiment with other tastes that might do it. Spicy-ness (heat) or various spices maybe could.

fr3smyl

tannibal_lecter wrote: »

I spend a lot of time prelogging to make my macronutrient and vitamin goals so I'm sure I'm getting everything. I think I read somewhere that as you start losing body fat your brain starts to panic and tells you to eat the crap you used to. Kinda makes sense.

Oh. That explains a lot.

Justygirl77

galgenstrick wrote: »

Justygirl77 wrote: »

I wouldn't trust that craving lol. But maybe if you wanted something salty, you could eat some celery with almond butter? Celery has a good kind of sodium, and you can get unsalted almond butter. Yum.
What are you eating daily?

what kind of sodium is that?

Sorry I don't know the details, just that it's a balanced and beneficial sodium in the body. Celery is high in sodium, yet it's a gentle diuretic.

Justygirl77

tannibal_lecter wrote: »

I spend a lot of time prelogging to make my macronutrient and vitamin goals so I'm sure I'm getting everything. I think I read somewhere that as you start losing body fat your brain starts to panic and tells you to eat the crap you used to. Kinda makes sense.

Okay, thanks! I checked out your diary, yummy stuff!
For myself, I rid myself of cravings by making my diet super simple. I cut out all foods I tended to crave (but that I didn't think was benefiting my health), and just went back to basics. It was a hard week lol! I was fatigued and moody. But after that week I was so FREE! And have been ever since. I have been on my current diet for 6 weeks, and never have I even wanted to cheat one time. I'm sticking with this for another 5 weeks, at least. Still have some work to do on the bod.
BTW my diet is Vegetables, proteins (grass-fed beef, organic chicken, seafood, nuts, vegan protein mix), and healthy fats. That's it! I use stevia to sweeten drinks, and have dark chocolate as a treat. So, no grains, dairy, sugar, fruit or conventional meats....for now.

Justygirl77

YayFoodYayFood wrote: »

I found that if u stick with the whole foods long enough, the cravings will go away. Then after a while the opposite happens. U get disgusted by what u used to crave.

Yes this is so true!!!

tannibal_lecter

Justygirl77 wrote: »

tannibal_lecter wrote: »

I spend a lot of time prelogging to make my macronutrient and vitamin goals so I'm sure I'm getting everything. I think I read somewhere that as you start losing body fat your brain starts to panic and tells you to eat the crap you used to. Kinda makes sense.

Okay, thanks! I checked out your diary, yummy stuff!
For myself, I rid myself of cravings by making my diet super simple. I cut out all foods I tended to crave (but that I didn't think was benefiting my health), and just went back to basics. It was a hard week lol! I was fatigued and moody. But after that week I was so FREE! And have been ever since. I have been on my current diet for 6 weeks, and never have I even wanted to cheat one time. I'm sticking with this for another 5 weeks, at least. Still have some work to do on the bod.
BTW my diet is Vegetables, proteins (grass-fed beef, organic chicken, seafood, nuts, vegan protein mix), and healthy fats. That's it! I use stevia to sweeten drinks, and have dark chocolate as a treat. So, no grains, dairy, sugar, fruit or conventional meats....for now.

I'm on week six and just started craving now. It's better today though and I'm super proud that I didn't cave in.

Thanks for all the advice and support everyone.

spzjlb

avskk wrote: »

I think some cravings can be an indicator of things the body needs, but it's important to put some thought into a) identifying those cravings as distinct from "the gimmes," and b) considering what the craving is trying to tell us and whether the food we're craving is the best source of what we need.

What I mean is, if I'm suddenly overwhelmed by an urge for brownies, I stop and think: Do I feel a physical craving or do I simply want brownies? And if I'm feeling a physical craving, what is the likely true source of that craving? At that point I look back at my diary and figure out what brownies have that I haven't been getting -- have I gone too low on carbs on heavy workout days, has my diet been unusually low on sugars leading to a glucose drop? Once I've identified that I think about whether there are better options to fulfill my needs, like if I've been too low on carbs I might include quinoa or rice with dinner, turn my planned lunch salad into a sandwich on oat bread, etc.

It sounds time-consuming as all hell, but the whole process really only takes a couple of minutes. It's just about stopping and putting some thought in before indulging. And, of course, sometimes I just want a brownie and I have one! Or I crave quesadillas because I haven't been eating enough fat, I know there are healthier options like avocado salad, but I go with the quesadilla anyway because it's tastier. The process isn't meant to totally eliminate enjoyment, but just to make me mindful of how I respond to cravings.

Smart strategy. It is well established in some animals that they will eat non-food items (termed pica) or preferentially choose a specific diet if they have a nutritional imbalance. The whole concept of truly physiological cravings in humans has not been scientifically proven, at least to the best of my knowledge (but I haven't looked hard in the literature). Our psychological desires are more likely an issue. There are brain injuries that are related to eating very bizarre things, but I doubt that is why the OP is craving Doritos
Now I am dying for a brownie!!

cwolfman13

tannibal_lecter wrote: »

Im on the Mediterranean diet, as recommended by my doctor. I eat lots of fish and a little chicken and heart healthy fats along with tonnes of veggies and whole food only. I was doing really well for 45 days, dropped 10 pounds, but now I'm craving all the carbs. It seems everyone is telling me "your body needs the things its craving" but since I'm craving Doritos I really can't see the logic.

Why would I start craving these things now? I have been resisting but it is hard. Any nutrition experts out there? Do you have the answer?

Well, you could make more nutritious carb decisions...you don't need Doritos, but carbs come in handy. There are about a million healthful carb choices out there.

You're just craving "junk"...because people crave "junk"...because "junk" is tasty. "Junk" can also be incorporated into an otherwise balanced and nutritious diet. I don't know anyone who eats 100% whole food, all of the time, no exceptions...that seems a bit unrealistic to me.