PMS & Extreme Chocolate Cravings Any Suggestions?

Bran7

I crave Chocolate and Salt & Vinegar so bad when I am on my PMS. :noway:
Any suggestions?
Any Healthy Low Cal alternatives? (no Aspartame)

kappyblu

I love salt & vinegar, too. Maybe just get a small bag and eat just a serving size. Chocolate is a must when it's TOM. Try those Lindt chocolate bars in the candy aisle at the grocery store. Lots of different flavors, including a dark chocolate that has a touch of sea salt, and one that has a hint of chile pepper. They sound weird, but are fabulous! I think one big square has about 50 calories. A serving size is four squares. Eat one or two squares and wrap up the rest to save for later. They also have regular dark chocolate with increasing levels of cacao. These help me out a lot.

droppin_lbs

I love to make Hot Chocolate Milk when I have a choc craving. Hersheys makes a syrup that have 15 calories per 2 tablespoons and is sugar free, and it tastes GREAT! You can have it cold too, but I love it HOT. :drinker:

a2canadian

Enjoy eating it. This seems like fairly inane advice but I often loose track of what I am eating because I am so busy "craving it". I used to be able to crush 1000kcal of chocolate in one go without even thinking about it. Now, when I eat chocolate, I take a small-ish piece and let it dissolve in my mouth. I try to stick to lower sugar options (i.e. dark chocolate or semi-sweet) but when milk chocolate is all that will do... the dissolve method really helps me be conscious of how much I am eating and what it tastes like. THIS REALLY WORKS. Where I used to eat an entire lump of chocolate... now 1-2oz is more than enough for me to satisfy my sweet tooth because I am more aware of HOW sweet it really is.

Try it out and let me know if it works for you!

vero_1

Don't think I'm crazy but... when I'm craving chocolate big time I take a couple of high fiber crakers and about 10 or so chocolate chips. I then take a bite of the craker and add one or two chocolate chips to chew with it. Somehow this tricks my cravings into thinking I'm eating this huge chocolate bar (I like the crunchy kind) and the monster is tamed... for a while at least...

MobiusMan

OK...I don't get PMS although my wife thinks I do at times...However, I do suffer from a constant craving for chocolate. I replaced rather than deny. I tossed all the Milk Chocolate out and bought really interesting esoteric types of VERY DARK chocolate(>65% cocoa) like one called firecracker which has extremely hot peppers in the chocolate in small quantities but it adds interesting notes to the flavor. My other favorite is Pink Sea Salt. When the craving is really high I'll take a small piece and savor it as long as I can. Dark Chocolate because of the high cocoa and lower fat is harder and melts slowly. about 50-100 planned in calories full of really excellent antioxidants. I have actually come to prefer the stricter taste of Dark over Milk. Give it a shot.

Enigmatica

My approach is to pick the best quality chocolate I can get, and plan it into my diet. If you go with a high cacoa dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, there are actually nutritional benefits to having a bit of it here and there. I also find that the dark chocolate takes care of the craving very well, with just a small amount. My favorite is Green & Black's - Organic Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa - it's in the food database here if you want to look at the nutrition info on it.

kbairdphillips

One square of the Hershey's dark chocolate bar is 57 calories. I usually eat one or two when I'm craving it and it satisfies my craving and doesn't leave a big dent in my calorie allowance. I would just do what you can to satisfy your cravings, just don't over do it. Good Luck!

runs4zen

I love to make Hot Chocolate Milk when I have a choc craving. Hersheys makes a syrup that have 15 calories per 2 tablespoons and is sugar free, and it tastes GREAT! You can have it cold too, but I love it HOT. :drinker:

I use that chocolate too and you get 10 grams of protein if you make it with cup of skim milk. I also make mochas with some espresso, milk and the sf hershey chocolate. Sometimes, though, when the craving is BAD, I eat the real deal! I like ghirardelli squares, they're about 60 cals. each. The ones with caramel in the center are so YUM!

tacheny

Ever try Apple Vinegar? I not only miss salt and vinegar but also the occasional sip of burban. I fixed both! I have heard from homeopathic practitioner that apple vinegar helps cleanes ones body of fat and helps boost metabalism. So I tried a 2oz shot of apple vinegar morning and night. No cravings for either! I feel great, drink more water (after shot!) and am down 30+ pounds thus far. Best wishes. I am still doing spiritual battle with viggie pizza any thoughts?

Chrissun

No great advice here just someone in the same boat. I keep hershey's kisses w/almonds and Dove dark chocolate in my freezer for normal cravings but there are times of CRAVINGS! I'm going through those CRAVINGS today and my daughter made double chocolate cookies. I enjoyed 2 and now I'm going to work out a little more! Craving satisfied...for now!

Basic advice: Eat what you crave but watch your portions.

runs4zen

. I ... bought really interesting esoteric types of VERY DARK chocolate(>65% cocoa) like one called firecracker which has extremely hot peppers in the chocolate in small quantities but it adds interesting notes to the flavor. My other favorite is Pink Sea Salt. When the craving is really high I'll take a small piece and savor it as long as I can. Dark Chocolate because of the high cocoa and lower fat is harder and melts slowly. about 50-100 planned in calories full of really excellent antioxidants. ..

Wow! Interesting! I'm going to try some of that chocolate! I've never even heard of it. Where do you get it?

a2canadian

Apple Cider Vinegar is also great for ladies below-the-belt health... it is a natural ph ballancer... that being said, it might be best to not over-do the ACV (1-2oz a day probably won't be a big deal) as it can throw your lady-parts out of wack. (tacheny ... this advice is clearly not for you as I have no idea about the impact on men)

MobiusMan

. I ... bought really interesting esoteric types of VERY DARK chocolate(>65% cocoa) like one called firecracker which has extremely hot peppers in the chocolate in small quantities but it adds interesting notes to the flavor. My other favorite is Pink Sea Salt. When the craving is really high I'll take a small piece and savor it as long as I can. Dark Chocolate because of the high cocoa and lower fat is harder and melts slowly. about 50-100 planned in calories full of really excellent antioxidants. ..

Wow! Interesting! I'm going to try some of that chocolate! I've never even heard of it. Where do you get it?

Well, we have two large local grocery chains in the area of Western NY where I live. Wegman's is the best selection, Top's does OK. They are available more and more in most larger grocers and all over the internet. Specialty Chocolatiers are growing as fast as microbreweries. My Favorite and source of Firecracker.. http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/

Their Coffee and Anise is good too.

runs4zen

[[/quote]
Well, we have two large local grocery chains in the area of Western NY where I live. Wegman's is the best selection, Top's does OK. They are available more and more in most larger grocers and all over the internet. Specialty Chocolatiers are growing as fast as microbreweries. My Favorite and source of Firecracker.. http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/

Their Coffee and Anise is good too.
[/quote]

Thanks! I'll look for some here on the west coast! Woohoo!

MobiusMan

. I ... bought really interesting esoteric types of VERY DARK chocolate(>65% cocoa) like one called firecracker which has extremely hot peppers in the chocolate in small quantities but it adds interesting notes to the flavor. My other favorite is Pink Sea Salt. When the craving is really high I'll take a small piece and savor it as long as I can. Dark Chocolate because of the high cocoa and lower fat is harder and melts slowly. about 50-100 planned in calories full of really excellent antioxidants. ..

Wow! Interesting! I'm going to try some of that chocolate! I've never even heard of it. Where do you get it?

Well, we have two large local grocery chains in the area of Western NY where I live. Wegman's is the best selection, Top's does OK. They are available more and more in most larger grocers and all over the internet. Specialty Chocolatiers are growing as fast as microbreweries. My Favorite and source of Firecracker.. http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/

Their Coffee and Anise is good too.

This companies Goji Berry Chocolate is crazy good. http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/exotic_candy_bars

MobiusMan

My approach is to pick the best quality chocolate I can get, and plan it into my diet. If you go with a high cacoa dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, there are actually nutritional benefits to having a bit of it here and there. I also find that the dark chocolate takes care of the craving very well, with just a small amount. My favorite is Green & Black's - Organic Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa - it's in the food database here if you want to look at the nutrition info on it.

Funny, look at my snack log from the 6th of Jan...Green and Black's got my back!

MobiusMan

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Bran7

Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions! Much appreciated. And I will definately try.:happy:

Got through my Salt & Vinegar craving tonight with thinly sliced cucumber soaked in (white vinegar with a splash of lemon juice) for a half an hour. Yummy!

agibsonky

I crave chocolate ice cream and the sugar free fudgecicles are really good (even my kids like them) and they are only 35 calories. I can almost always fit that into my day!