Craving carbs

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minexo
minexo Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
It's 7 in the morning and I'm craving pizza/pasta. Pasta is definitely my comfort food.
I never had much of a sweet tooth, I love savory things.
I have tried out many healthier options, such as polenta, pearl barley, brown rice, bulgur wheat, etc, but it's just not the same. I really don't know what to do at this point, because I have tried everything.
This carb-addiction is always the one thing that gets me down.

Could this be some sort of a vitamin deficiency? Any recommendations on how to beat this?

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Eat more vegetables and fruit, make sure you include starchy vegies. You need the nutrients and carbs, not the pizza/pasta!
  • Colossus882
    Colossus882 Posts: 22 Member
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    Or work out how many calories that pizza or pasta has, and work it off.
  • minexo
    minexo Posts: 6
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    Colossus882, the problem with that is that I don't actually want to eat it. I crave it, but when I do end up eating it, I feel terrible afterwards - both physically and mentally.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Personally, I crave carbs when I'm not getting enough fat or protein. And if I'm not getting enough carbs, I get carb cravings plus symptoms of low blood sugar. So if I'm craving carbs but there are no actual signs of low blood sugar, I eat high protein foods and throw some fat in with it. Eggs are a good one, as is any kind of high protein salad with salad dressing on it. Getting enough fat and protein kills the carb cravings.

    ETA: by planning my meals effectively, I can stop carb cravings from happening in the first place. The above situation occurs as a result of lack of planning.
  • Colossus882
    Colossus882 Posts: 22 Member
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    What is it you crave though? The texture? The process of cooking/eating it? Can you nail that down at all?
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    It's 7 in the morning and I'm craving pizza/pasta. Pasta is definitely my comfort food.
    I never had much of a sweet tooth, I love savory things.
    I have tried out many healthier options, such as polenta, pearl barley, brown rice, bulgur wheat, etc, but it's just not the same. I really don't know what to do at this point, because I have tried everything.
    This carb-addiction is always the one thing that gets me down.

    Could this be some sort of a vitamin deficiency? Any recommendations on how to beat this?
    If brown rice, bulgur wheat etc don't hit the spot - is it really carbs that you're craving? Perhaps it's an emotional attachment to those foods, or habit?

    Pasta and pizza aren't inherently unhealthy. As long as you're meeting your calorie goal and have a good balance of other nutrients (eg. make sure you get enough protein & fats) then eating pasta and pizza is not necessarily a bad thing.

    Otherwise, I agree that planning your daily intake is a good way to start changing habits. If you think your portion sizes are too big, work on gradually cutting them down.

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