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Unlikely to be true
- Many of us believe that a food craving is our body’s way of signalling that it needs a certain nutrient. But research shows that’s unlikely to be true – with one possible exception. As many countries urge populations to stay at home, many of us are paying more attention to our diets and how the food we eat can support our health.
www.bbc.com/future/article/20190524-food-cravings-are-they-a-sign-of-nutritional-deficit
A food craving is an intense and persistent desire for a food, but that craving isn’t always for something delicious. It can also be caused by a nutritional deficiency, boredom, or self-imposed food restrictions. [4]
- Overview
- Proposed Link Between Nutrient Deficiencies and Cravings
- Nutrient Deficiencies That May Cause Cravings
- Why Deficiencies May Not Be Linked to Cravings
- Other Likely Causes for Your Cravings
- How to Reduce Cravings
- The Bottom Line
Nutrient deficiencies may sometimes cause food cravings, but research is limited. Other causes of food cravings can be physical, mental, or social.
A growing number of people believe that food cravings are the body’s subconscious way of filling a nutritional need.
They assume that when the body lacks a specific nutrient, it naturally craves foods that are rich in that nutrient.
For instance, chocolate cravings are often blamed on low magnesium levels, whereas cravings for meat or cheese are often seen as a sign of low iron or calcium levels.
Fulfilling your cravings is believed to help your body meet its nutrient needs and correct the nutrient deficiency.
Summary:
Some people believe that cravings are your body’s way of increasing the intake of certain nutrients that may be lacking from your diet.
Pica
One particular example is pica, a condition in which a person craves non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt, soil, laundry or cornstarch, among others. Pica is most common in pregnant women and children, and its exact cause is currently unknown. However, nutrient deficiencies are thought to play a role (1, 2). Studies observe that individuals with symptoms of pica often have low iron, zinc or calcium levels. What’s more, supplementing with the lacking nutrients seems to stop the pica behavior in some instances (3, 4, 5, 6). That said, studies also report cases of pica not linked to nutrient deficiencies, as well as others in which supplementation did not stop the pica behavior. Thus, researchers cannot definitively say that nutrient deficiencies cause pica-related cravings (6).
Sodium Deficiency
Sodium plays a critical role in maintaining the body’s fluid balance and is necessary for survival. For this reason, cravings for high-sodium, salty foods are often thought to mean that the body requires more sodium. In fact, individuals deficient in sodium often report strong cravings for salty foods. Similarly, people whose blood sodium levels have been purposefully lowered, either through diuretics (water pills) or exercise, also generally report an increased preference for salty foods or drinks (7, 8, 9). Thus, in some cases, salt cravings can be caused by sodium deficiencies or low blood sodium levels. However, it’s important to keep in mind that sodium deficiencies are quite rare. In fact, excess sodium intakes are more common than insufficient intakes, especially in developed parts of the world. So simply craving salty foods may not necessarily mean that you’re sodium deficient. There’s also evidence that regularly consuming high-sodium foods can lead you to develop a preference for salty foods. This can create salt cravings in cases where extra sodium intake is unnecessary and even harmful to your health (7, 8). Summary: Cravings for salty foods and non-nutritive substances like ice and clay may be caused by nutrient deficiencies. However, this is not always the case, and more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Cravings Are Gender Specific
According to research, a person’s cravings and their frequency are partly influenced by gender. For example, women seem to be up to twice as likely to experience food cravings as men (9, 10, 11). Women are also more likely to crave sweet foods, such as chocolate, whereas men are more likely to crave savory foods (11, 12, 13). Those who believe that nutrient deficiencies cause cravings often propose that chocolate cravings result from a magnesium deficiency, while savory foods are often linked to insufficient intakes of sodium or protein. However, there is little evidence to support gender differences in the risk of deficiency for any of these nutrients. One study reports that men generally meet 66–84% of their recommended daily intake (RDI) for magnesium, while women meet around 63–80% of their RDI (14). Moreover, there’s little evidence to support that men are more likely deficient in either sodium or protein than women. In fact, deficiencies in either of these nutrients are very rare in developed parts of the world.
Limited Link Between Cravings and Nutrient Needs
The assumption behind the “nutrient deficiency” theory is that those with low intakes of certain nutrients are more likely to crave foods containing those nutrients (15). However, there is evidence that this is not always the case. One example is pregnancy, during which the baby’s development can double requirements of certain nutrients. The “nutrient deficiency” hypothesis would predict that pregnant women would crave nutrient-rich foods, especially during the later stages of the baby’s development when nutrient needs are highest. Yet, studies report that women tend to crave high-carb, high-fat and fast foods during pregnancy, rather than nutrient-rich alternatives (16). What’s more, food cravings tend to emerge during the first half of pregnancy, which makes it unlikely that they are caused by an increased caloric need (17). Weight loss studies provide additional arguments against the “nutrient deficiency” theory. In one weight loss study, participants following a low-carb diet for two years reported much lower cravings for carb-rich foods than those following a low-fat diet. Similarly, participants put on low-fat diets during the same period reported fewer cravings for high-fat foods (18). In another study, very low-calorie liquid diets decreased the frequency of cravings overall (19). If cravings were truly caused by a low intake of certain nutrients, the opposite effect would be expected.
Specific and Nutrient-Poor Food Cravings
Cravings are generally very specific and often not satisfied by eating anything other than the craved food. However, most people tend to crave high-carb, high-fat foods, rather than nutritious whole foods (20). Consequently, the craved foods are often not the best source of the nutrient commonly associated with the craving. For instance, cheese cravings are often viewed as the body’s way to compensate for an insufficient calcium intake. However, craving foods like tofu would be more likely to correct a calcium deficiency, since it offers up to twice as much calcium per 1-ounce (28-gram) portion (21). Moreover, it could be argued that people with nutrient deficiencies would benefit from craving a wider variety of foods containing the required nutrient, rather than a single source. For instance, it’d be more effective for those deficient in magnesium to also crave magnesium-rich nuts and beans, rather than chocolate alone (22, 23, 24). Summary: The arguments above provide science-based evidence that nutrient deficiencies are often not the main cause of cravings.
Cravings are likely caused by factors other than nutrient deficiencies.
They can be explained by the following physical, psychological and social motives:
•Suppressed thoughts: Viewing certain foods as “forbidden” or actively trying to suppress your desire to eat them often intensifies cravings for them (25, 26).
•Context associations: In some cases, the brain associates eating a food with a certain context, such as eating popcorn during a movie. This can create a craving for that specific food the next time the same context appears (26, 27).
•Specific mood: Food cravings may be triggered by specific moods. One example is “comfort foods,” which are often craved when wanting to get over a negative mood (28).
•High stress levels: Stressed individuals often report experiencing more cravings than non-stressed individuals (29).
Individuals frequently experiencing cravings may want to try the following strategies to reduce them.
For starters, skipping meals and not drinking enough water may lead to hunger and cravings.
Thus, consuming regular, nutritious meals and staying well-hydrated may decrease the likelihood of cravings (32, 36).
Also, getting sufficient amounts of sleep and regularly engaging in stress-relieving activities like yoga or meditation can help reduce the likelihood of cravings (29, 30).
In the event that a craving does appear, it could be useful to try identifying its trigger.
For example, if you tend to crave foods as a way to get over a negative mood, try to find an activity that provides the same mood-boosting feeling as the food.
Cravings are often believed to be the body’s way to maintain nutrient balance.
While nutrient deficiencies may be the cause of certain cravings, this is only true in the minority of cases.
Nov 8, 2019 · It's long been suggested that the foods we crave are the foods we need; that cravings are our body's way of subconsciously addressing a nutritional deficiency or need. Under this theory, that chocolate you had a hankering for on Thursday afternoon could be a sign of magnesium deficiency.
- Olivia Willis
Many of us believe that a food craving is our body’s way of signalling that it needs a certain nutrient. But research shows that’s unlikely to be true – with one possible exception.
Jul 20, 2023 · Food cravings can be brought on by a variety of factors — be it physical or mental. This article dives into what your food cravings may mean, as well as the possible reasons behind them.
Nutritional Needs. While the message may not always be clear, it could be a need for specific calories or macronutrients, such as carbohydrates. For example, if you avoid starchy foods during main meals, you may experience cravings in the late afternoon or evening.
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