Could constant food cravings and hunger be a nutrient deficiency?

angeljo2015
angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Could my constant hunger and food cravings be from a missing nutrient? I'm five foot one weigh about 10.12 and want to get to 10 stone but am always hungry and thinking about food

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Constant hunger and food cravings are more likely to be related to the number of calories you're eating overall (or maybe not getting enough protein or fat) than a specific nutritional deficiency. How many calories are you eating per day?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited June 2016
    It could be, or it could be that you are used to eating sweets and snacks often, or conversely, that you deprive yourself by "never" eating it. Or that you don't know what hungry means and believe you should feel full all the time. Do you often choose sweets over food? Are your meals balanced? Eat as much home cooked as possible, get in some food from every food group every day, and try new foods often. Do this for a couple of months, and if you still feel something is wrong, see your doctor and get some blood tests.

    ETA: How long have you been feeling this way? Are you currently losing weight, and if so, at what rate?
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    About 1500-1750 range and I've noticed being closer to target how much more hungrier I am
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    It could be, or it could be that you are used to eating sweets and snacks often, or conversely, that you deprive yourself by "never" eating it. Or that you don't know what hungry means and believe you should feel full all the time. Do you often choose sweets over food? Are your meals balanced? Eat as much home cooked as possible, get in some food from every food group every day, and try new foods often. Do this for a couple of months, and if you still feel something is wrong, see your doctor and get some blood tests.

    ETA: How long have you been feeling this way? Are you currently losing weight, and if so, at what rate?

    I've been feeling like this for a couple of months doctor has done tests and hasn't found a medical reason, I have slowly been losing weight but not every week, have always been a snacker
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    I do also think I should be full so maybe not recognizing hunger signals
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    No hadn't seen this thanks
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    They have helped me a lot. You're not alone!
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    I do feel like I don't know what is and isn't hunger
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I think that's a problem for a lot of us. We're always surrounded by food and urged to eat. Being hungry isn't even dangerous, I've learnt to appreciate and enjoy food a lot more after I "embraced" hunger and satiety.
  • MiniMexxxxx
    MiniMexxxxx Posts: 43 Member
    I gave up wheat for about 4 months and I really noticed a difference with hunger pangs and that kind of sugar low feeling. I was much less hungry weirdly and didn't once get that shaky feeling I get when I'm really hungry. The only trouble was I found it really difficult to diet and be wheat free and as I had no medical reason for avoiding it I'm eating it again for convenience.
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    How do you embrace hunger and satiety??

    Yes that's odd about wheat but have heard it can cause hunger
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    angeljo2015 wrote: »
    How do you embrace hunger and satiety??


    I admit it can sound a bit "Californian" :D

    I started with counting calories and just trust the numbers. I knew I would be fine, but I needed to check and check. Then one day I asked myself "how do I know that I'm hungry?", discussed it with some people, and found "the hunger scale". I had to tweak it so that it fitted my personal hunger and satiety cues, and spent some weeks "rating" my meals :p . Last summer, as I was getting bored with calorie counting and logging, I read Allen Carr's "Easyweigh to lose weight" - he says something to the effect of "you're not supposed to stop eating, just stop overeating"; and advocates eating regular meals and not snacking all day. He says waiting for a meal can be pleasurable. I didn't believe so at first, but I started to after some time. At this point, I was totally into "mindful eating" (a term I had sneered at for years, lol). Jut think about it, looking forward to something nice is part of the experience, right? To be just the right kind and degree of hungry makes the food more desirable, valuable and important, in a more positive and less stressful way. At least it's become like that for me, now. I eat for pleasure and nourishment at the same time. It feels great, especially since I've struggled for so long.
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks, so it's best not to snack ?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    angeljo2015 wrote: »
    Thanks, so it's best not to snack ?

    That depends. For some people, small, frequent meals are best. For some people, few, large meals are best. Some need to eat by the clock. Some will rebel if they try to set meal times. Some are happy grazing all day. Some are completely indiffererent to what, when and why they eat, and may need to be reminded. There is no "best". You have to find an eating structure that fits you.
  • angeljo2015
    angeljo2015 Posts: 121 Member
    OK that makes sense
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,619 Member
    Cravings for specific things can be a sign of a deficiency.

    For example, when I'm low in salt, I crave potato chips. I don't need the potato chips, I need salt. So I started eating salted cucumber slices instead and haven't had a craving for potato chips since.


    So analyse your cravings ... what's in the specific food items you're craving?
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,619 Member
    angeljo2015 wrote: »
    I do feel like I don't know what is and isn't hunger

    In that case, have a glass of water when you feel "hunger". If you feel better shortly after, it wasn't hunger at all, it was dehydration.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    When I have something salty, I feel like something sweet afterwards. When I have something sweet, I feel like something salty, no rhyme or reason..
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    i do know that when im on my period i CRAVE a steak or a burger.. and all things fat.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    When I have something salty, I feel like something sweet afterwards. When I have something sweet, I feel like something salty, no rhyme or reason..

    I think this is quite logical. Eating is pleasurable, and variety makes eating feel even better.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    Pica is a common symptom of certain nutrient deficiencies. For example anemia (low iron) is correlated with chewing ice.

    Particular nutrient deficiencies don't usually generate generalized hunger, however. And the deficiencies that cause pica type symptoms rarely generate a need to eat something that has that nutrient.

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