Chocolate
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MsVino
Posts: 78 Member
Hi low carbers :-) I was just wondering if anyone has experienced unusual cravings for chocolate or similar rich sweets after being keto or low carb for sometime?
I'm 28, been keto for 4 months now and was loving life until a few weeks back when every few days I'd get cravings... I've never had a sweet tooth at all. I don't like sweets and in the past my only dessert choice has been the very occasional mud cake or vanilla icecream ( literally less than 2-3 times a year max)
I cut all sweetners to elimate the chance of them being the cause and while that has helped I can still tell something is not right. I've read Magnesium sups can assist but am reluctant to take sups as I would rather sort the problem via my diet if there is a deficiency.
If anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate hearing them. Thankyou in advance :-)
I'm 28, been keto for 4 months now and was loving life until a few weeks back when every few days I'd get cravings... I've never had a sweet tooth at all. I don't like sweets and in the past my only dessert choice has been the very occasional mud cake or vanilla icecream ( literally less than 2-3 times a year max)
I cut all sweetners to elimate the chance of them being the cause and while that has helped I can still tell something is not right. I've read Magnesium sups can assist but am reluctant to take sups as I would rather sort the problem via my diet if there is a deficiency.
If anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate hearing them. Thankyou in advance :-)
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It's very difficult to get enough magnesium in your foods because the souls are depleted and the food simply doesn't contain enough.
Don't be wary of supplementing.
I recommend Bulk Supplements, magnesium glycinate or magnesium carbonate. I think they're the most cost effective way to go. But anywhere you can get a form that ends in "ate" is good.0 -
Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »It's very difficult to get enough magnesium in your foods because the souls are depleted and the food simply doesn't contain enough.
Don't be wary of supplementing.
I recommend Bulk Supplements, magnesium glycinate or magnesium carbonate. I think they're the most cost effective way to go. But anywhere you can get a form that ends in "ate" is good.
Thankyou for the input :-) yes I'm going to try a few weeks with a sup I think. Seems to tie in with some hormonal changes I've been experiencing recently which makes sense.
Also I've noticed over exercising (loooong brisk walks 2+ per day easily) seems to deplete what Mg I am consuming when my bodies stressed so I've changed it up this week to high intensity short cardio seshs.0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.
Hi there thankyou for your response :-) can I ask you to explain why after 4 months of keto well under 20 carbs a day I'd have ''readily available sugar stores'' and where these stores would have been hiding? I did notice a big hormonal change about 3-4 weeks ago where I started light spotting even while not due and being on the pill. I did a refeed last week because I was just burnt at both ends from whatever the deficiency and the over exercise which appears to have rectified my hormones for now but 5 days back into keto and today after a huge back and cardio workout I almost lost my mind with the cravings! I'm not hungry just want chocolate a lot at times haha.
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Just as a side not I've not only changed up my cardio up to lower the stress I was putting on my body but also eliminated caffeine a week ago as I felt that was driving my cortisol right up.0
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funny thing, I stopped taking my mag supplement a few weeks ago as I ran out. I had natural calm at home so I didn't reorder the mag glycinate I had been using. But I didn't take the natural calm consistently because I'm a little lazy lol. for the past couple of weeks I have been eating chocolate like crazy, when normally I could have a bar last for weeks. I mentioned it on my feed yesterday and @knitormiss asked about the mag, which was like a huge light bulb for me. I picked up some supplements on my lunch and we will see if that takes care of it. The timing is just too spot on for it to be coincidence though.0
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auntstephie321 wrote: »funny thing, I stopped taking my mag supplement a few weeks ago as I ran out. I had natural calm at home so I didn't reorder the mag glycinate I had been using. But I didn't take the natural calm consistently because I'm a little lazy lol. for the past couple of weeks I have been eating chocolate like crazy, when normally I could have a bar last for weeks. I mentioned it on my feed yesterday and @knitormiss asked about the mag, which was like a huge light bulb for me. I picked up some supplements on my lunch and we will see if that takes care of it. The timing is just too spot on for it to be coincidence though.
Ahhhh yes makes sense! From what I've read after taking a Mg sup the change is apparent and almost immediate please let me know how you go once commencing them again as I won't be starting mine till the weekend :-) best of luck. I now feel really bad for all the *kitten* I've given my bf over the years while watching her stuff her face with copious amounts of chocolate, I completely get it now! Haha0 -
I'm also curious to see the effects adding the sup has to bowel movements. I've been fortunate enough to not experience and discomfort or constipation since going keto but don't toilet as often now. This doesn't concern me at all as I know I'm now consuming more nutrient dense foods but I've read a lot of people experience more frequent toileting once on Mg. Does anyone have anything to report re this side of the sup? Sorry for all the questions.0
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.
Hi there thankyou for your response :-) can I ask you to explain why after 4 months of keto well under 20 carbs a day I'd have ''readily available sugar stores'' and where these stores would have been hiding? I did notice a big hormonal change about 3-4 weeks ago where I started light spotting even while not due and being on the pill. I did a refeed last week because I was just burnt at both ends from whatever the deficiency and the over exercise which appears to have rectified my hormones for now but 5 days back into keto and today after a huge back and cardio workout I almost lost my mind with the cravings! I'm not hungry just want chocolate a lot at times haha.
Fat adaption and such comes in stages. No one can say when your body will hit certain levels. The brain runs partially on glucose, so there are always blood sugars in the body. Just by going low carb and/or keto, we optimize the overall process, so there will always been "stores" in your body. The liver itself stores a chunk of glucose to release when the body feels desperately low, which happens FAR LESS OFTEN, eating this way. Doing the refeed alone may have "rebooted" your glucose stores, depending on how your body functions. There is literally no way to tell.
Be careful of refeeding unless you do it regularly, and on a schedule, because it will create chaos in your hormonal system. Cycle hiccups happen as your body burns fat, releases store hormones (typically estrogen), and your body finds a new normal. If you're doing regular refeeds, or intermittent ones, you might never reach the new normal.
The general fatigue and deficiency feelings can go along with adaption, depletion, lack of nutrients/minerals/vitamins, etc. especially given that it's almost impossible anymore to get everything we need from food.. If you aren't getting extra sodium, supplementing magnesium, and possibly potassium (this one is hit and miss with folks), you may have just hit a wall. Carb refeeds to work for some people. Be sure to research to figure out which method will work best for you overall.0 -
Carb refeed works well for me as I lift heavy and find it gives me a nice reboot , 3rd one since going keto and no probs back into keto within a few days and felt fine. potassium and sodium are all good so hopefully sorting my Mg helps.KnitOrMiss wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.
Hi there thankyou for your response :-) can I ask you to explain why after 4 months of keto well under 20 carbs a day I'd have ''readily available sugar stores'' and where these stores would have been hiding? I did notice a big hormonal change about 3-4 weeks ago where I started light spotting even while not due and being on the pill. I did a refeed last week because I was just burnt at both ends from whatever the deficiency and the over exercise which appears to have rectified my hormones for now but 5 days back into keto and today after a huge back and cardio workout I almost lost my mind with the cravings! I'm not hungry just want chocolate a lot at times haha.
Fat adaption and such comes in stages. No one can say when your body will hit certain levels. The brain runs partially on glucose, so there are always blood sugars in the body. Just by going low carb and/or keto, we optimize the overall process, so there will always been "stores" in your body. The liver itself stores a chunk of glucose to release when the body feels desperately low, which happens FAR LESS OFTEN, eating this way. Doing the refeed alone may have "rebooted" your glucose stores, depending on how your body functions. There is literally no way to tell.
Be careful of refeeding unless you do it regularly, and on a schedule, because it will create chaos in your hormonal system. Cycle hiccups happen as your body burns fat, releases store hormones (typically estrogen), and your body finds a new normal. If you're doing regular refeeds, or intermittent ones, you might never reach the new normal.
The general fatigue and deficiency feelings can go along with adaption, depletion, lack of nutrients/minerals/vitamins, etc. especially given that it's almost impossible anymore to get everything we need from food.. If you aren't getting extra sodium, supplementing magnesium, and possibly potassium (this one is hit and miss with folks), you may have just hit a wall. Carb refeeds to work for some people. Be sure to research to figure out which method will work best for you overall.0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.
I didn't know this about magnesium deficiency causing chocolate cravings. Wow I really need to look into this. I've been following LCHF/Keto for 7 months now and the past couple of months have been rocky. I am craving chocolate and fruit, my god, FRUIT! I miss having a juicy orange or apple with peanut butter.0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Chocolate cravings are often indicative of a magnesium deficiency. Unless you're using solely organic, grass feed means, veggies, etc., "first world" soil is nutrient depleted. In the 1950's an apple could have had 50 mg of magnesium or more. Now a normal farmed apple might measure 1 mg. Organics CAN, but don't always, get closer to the old numbers.
@Sarahb29 Craving rich foods fits right in with this WOE. And since you are 4 months in, it's likely that your body just flipped another switch in your adaption levels, perhaps depleting the last of your readily available stored sugars, prompting the body to want to refill those stores.
EDITED TO ADD: Any time you get a sweet craving, try feeding it salt and fats first, then if it won't work, naturally sweet foods (you sensitize well after being keto a while), or go brush your teeth/chew some gum. Since you're avoiding sweeteners, I won't say barely sweetened tea, etc., but that can be a go to for some.
I didn't know this about magnesium deficiency causing chocolate cravings. Wow I really need to look into this. I've been following LCHF/Keto for 7 months now and the past couple of months have been rocky. I am craving chocolate and fruit, my god, FRUIT! I miss having a juicy orange or apple with peanut butter.
Dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium. Aside from things like emotional or boredom eating, most cravings are rooted in nutrient deficiencies.
For chocolate, it's probably magnesium.
For oranges, it's probably vitamin C.
For apple with peanut butter, it could be any number of things... The PB can be a fat craving (or a carb craving if you're already close to a threshold), it can be an allergy/sensitivity, it can be a crunch thing, it can be a stress thing apparently (see below), hormone imbalance (WOW, PMS Stuff - being estrogen dominant apparently makes you have hella cravings...lol, and apparently most PMS is an estrogen imbalance), sweet/salty/protein/fatty "perfect balance treat," you're too calorie restricted (the body craves things with a fatty WHAM when you're low calorie for too long!), etc.
Apples can be an iodine deficiency, you might be anemic, etc.
Peanut butter actually contains a specific compound that fights the effects of stress: beta-sitosterol. (it can help normalize cortisol) And this site has a good explanation: http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/craving-peanut-butter/ AND THIS: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=213
Oddly enough, in bouncing around, cravings for celery can mean arthritis pain (ancient remedy)!
Awesome chart at this site: http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2014/01/what-do-food-cravings-mean/ (It's way too messy to post here. And another site: http://www.livingwhole.org/causes-of-food-cravings-revealed/
THIS RIGHT HERE IS CRAZY AWESOME/INTERESTING: Craving carbs after a hard day’s work? People crave carbohydrates and magnesium at the end of a busy day to calm their nerves. Take magnesium right before you leave work so you won’t attack the junk food and tortilla chips when you walk in the door.3 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »funny thing, I stopped taking my mag supplement a few weeks ago as I ran out. I had natural calm at home so I didn't reorder the mag glycinate I had been using. But I didn't take the natural calm consistently because I'm a little lazy lol. for the past couple of weeks I have been eating chocolate like crazy, when normally I could have a bar last for weeks. I mentioned it on my feed yesterday and @knitormiss asked about the mag, which was like a huge light bulb for me. I picked up some supplements on my lunch and we will see if that takes care of it. The timing is just too spot on for it to be coincidence though.
Ahhhh yes makes sense! From what I've read after taking a Mg sup the change is apparent and almost immediate please let me know how you go once commencing them again as I won't be starting mine till the weekend :-) best of luck. I now feel really bad for all the *kitten* I've given my bf over the years while watching her stuff her face with copious amounts of chocolate, I completely get it now! Haha
so far I still want chocolate but it takes a little time to get my levels back to normal I think. I was able to not eat too much of it yesterday, and purchased some dark mint chocolate today to get me through.0 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »auntstephie321 wrote: »funny thing, I stopped taking my mag supplement a few weeks ago as I ran out. I had natural calm at home so I didn't reorder the mag glycinate I had been using. But I didn't take the natural calm consistently because I'm a little lazy lol. for the past couple of weeks I have been eating chocolate like crazy, when normally I could have a bar last for weeks. I mentioned it on my feed yesterday and @knitormiss asked about the mag, which was like a huge light bulb for me. I picked up some supplements on my lunch and we will see if that takes care of it. The timing is just too spot on for it to be coincidence though.
Ahhhh yes makes sense! From what I've read after taking a Mg sup the change is apparent and almost immediate please let me know how you go once commencing them again as I won't be starting mine till the weekend :-) best of luck. I now feel really bad for all the *kitten* I've given my bf over the years while watching her stuff her face with copious amounts of chocolate, I completely get it now! Haha
so far I still want chocolate but it takes a little time to get my levels back to normal I think. I was able to not eat too much of it yesterday, and purchased some dark mint chocolate today to get me through.
I love all of your chocolate on your board...I want to eat it all0 -
emilybeaver wrote: »auntstephie321 wrote: »auntstephie321 wrote: »funny thing, I stopped taking my mag supplement a few weeks ago as I ran out. I had natural calm at home so I didn't reorder the mag glycinate I had been using. But I didn't take the natural calm consistently because I'm a little lazy lol. for the past couple of weeks I have been eating chocolate like crazy, when normally I could have a bar last for weeks. I mentioned it on my feed yesterday and @knitormiss asked about the mag, which was like a huge light bulb for me. I picked up some supplements on my lunch and we will see if that takes care of it. The timing is just too spot on for it to be coincidence though.
Ahhhh yes makes sense! From what I've read after taking a Mg sup the change is apparent and almost immediate please let me know how you go once commencing them again as I won't be starting mine till the weekend :-) best of luck. I now feel really bad for all the *kitten* I've given my bf over the years while watching her stuff her face with copious amounts of chocolate, I completely get it now! Haha
so far I still want chocolate but it takes a little time to get my levels back to normal I think. I was able to not eat too much of it yesterday, and purchased some dark mint chocolate today to get me through.
I love all of your chocolate on your board...I want to eat it all
lol see I do it for you guys, you can all live vicariously through me
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »
THIS RIGHT HERE IS CRAZY AWESOME/INTERESTING: Craving carbs after a hard day’s work? People crave carbohydrates and magnesium at the end of a busy day to calm their nerves. Take magnesium right before you leave work so you won’t attack the junk food and tortilla chips when you walk in the door.
Okay, that is crazy interesting - mainly from my observations of my husband, since I stay at home with the kiddos. *Every* day he comes home for work he heads straight to the pantry, even if he can see that dinner is literally minutes away. Fortunately for him, he's one of those lucky people who can eat whatever he wants and still be quite thin (and healthy according to standard medical markers).
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You can use epsom salts to absorb magnesium. I watch tv with my feet in epsom salt bath.0
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mrzpeep391 wrote: »You can use epsom salts to absorb magnesium. I watch tv with my feet in epsom salt bath.
Great idea thankyou my mum used to do this I'd completely forgotten about it.0 -
Very hard to say because I love chocolate and crave it all the time even before I started LCHF. But I have been wanting chocolate like crazy. I can't tell if it's increased cravings or just because I haven't been satisfying the cravings per usual.1
