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Food Cravings

There are different reasons as to why people will crave certain foods; this all depends on the individual. The reason behind food cravings can be as simple as not eating the right balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates which your body needs in order to function optimally. Cravings can also be a sign of vitamin or mineral deficiency.

A person who is a protein type (whose body functions optimally on a high protein low carbohydrate diet) can often crave salty or fatty foods. But if a protein type consumes too many carbohydrates in their diet they will find themselves craving sugar. A person who is a mixed-type (whose body functions optimally on a balance of protein and carbohydrates) generally won't have cravings for sweet or salty foods; but if their diet is out of balance and they consume either too much protein or too much carbohydrates they can find themselves suffering from cravings. A person who is a carbohydrate type (whose body functions optimally on a higher balance of carbohydrates) can crave sugary foods when not enough protein is consumed in their diets.

Another reason craving for certain foods can start could be a sign that the body is deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral. Here is a list of a few common cravings and what nutrients the body may need.

Craving...	What your body may really need...	Healthy food options that have it...
Chocolate	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, fruits, legumes
Bread, toast	Nitrogen	High protein foods, fish, meat, nuts, beans
Sweets	Chromium Carbon Phosphorus Sulfur Tryptophan	Broccoli, grapes, dried beans, calves liver, chicken Fruits Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage Liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach, cheese
Fatty/oily foods	Calcium	Broccoli, kale, sesame seeds. turnip greens, cheese
Alcohol	Protein Avenin Calcium Glutamine Potassium	Meat, poultry, seafood, nuts Oatmeal Broccoli, kale, sesame seeds. turnip greens Meat, chicken, fish, eggs Bitter greens, seaweed, apricots, bananas, fish, meat
Coffee / tea	Phosphorus Sodium Chloride (salt) Iron	Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts Sea salt, apple cider vinegar Red meat, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Carbonated drinks (ie. Coke)	Calcium	Broccoli, kale, sesame seeds. turnip greens, cheese
Salty foods	Chloride	Raw goats milk, fish, sea salt
General overeating	Zinc Silicon Tryptophan Tyrosine	Red meat, seafood, leafy vegetables Nuts and seeds Liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach, cheese Oranges, green vegetables, red fruits

 

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