Let’s Talk Cravings: The Best Food Practices To Curb Your Hunger Cravings
What are cravings?
A food craving is an intense desire for a specific food. This desire can seem uncontrollable, and the person’s hunger may not be satisfied until they get that particular food. Food cravings are very common and can be caused by a variety of physical or mental factors. They may be a sign of hormonal imbalances, a suboptimal diet, high stress levels, or a lack of sleep or physical activity. Food cravings are often a sign that you’re lacking the nutrients found in that food.
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Food cravings are often for junk foods and processed foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. Though every person experiences cravings differently. Food cravings can also be a major roadblock for people trying to maintain a healthy weight or switch to a more healthful diet.
Food cravings can be a frustrating and overwhelming feeling that you might think you can’t control. But more often than not, you can control a food craving if you spend some time to sort out its cause.
Causes for cravings
Food cravings can be caused by several factors, which can usually be split into the two main categories of physical and mental. Being aware of them may help you identify which factors specifically trigger your cravings.
Some of the physical causes for cravings could be any of the following:
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Dehydration
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Highly processed foods
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Lack of sleep
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Pregnancy
Some of the mental causes for cravings could be any of the following:
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Stress
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Anxiety
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Mood
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Eating context (ex: popcorn with a movie)
Similar to mindless eating, cravings can hijack your wellness goals and make it hard for you to feel like you can get back on. So that is why I want to give you some tools and skills around managing your cravings and mindless eating.
How to reduce your cravings
Reduce stress levels
Stress and emotional eating can influence a variety of health issues. Feeling stressed may promote cravings for comfort foods. Chronic stress is often related to more food cravings and stress may also cause weight gain even without food cravings. Stress also results in higher levels of cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone.
Drink plenty of water
Hunger and thirst can produce very similar sensations, potentially leading people to confuse the feeling of thirst for hunger. Some people may find that their food cravings reduce when they stay hydrated throughout the day.
Get enough sleep
Not getting enough sleep can alter the body’s hormonal balance. This imbalance may contribute to overeating and cravings. Switching from sleep deprivation to an adequate sleep schedule can caused an increase in sleep quantity and therefore it can bring your hormones back into balance.
Change the scenery
Some food cravings may be due to long-term habits, which can be difficult to replace. For instance, if someone gets fast food on their way home from work every day, this journey may cause cravings. In situations such as these, people can try to form new habits. Doing this might be as straightforward as trying a new route home from work or stopping at the park for a quick walk instead of stopping to pick up fast food.
For cravings at home, it may help to take a walk around the block, take a shower, or even call a friend. These activities may help distract a person from their cravings for long enough for it to subside.
Avoid hunger
Strong feelings of hunger may lead a person to crave processed or fried foods. Eating when hunger begins can help curb these cravings. Maintaining a regular eating pattern, such as eating several small meals throughout the day, may help some people avoid hunger-induced cravings.
Food practices that will help curb your cravings when they hit
Everyone has food cravings, especially for foods that are rich in fat, sugar, and salt, or any combo of the three. That's why we find chocolate, chips, baked goods, ice cream, and fast food so irresistible. While ignoring these cravings might seem like the best things to do, ignoring them will only make the problem worse. Food restriction and avoidance can increase the intensity of cravings, so the key is to eat foods that can actually help tamp down hunger and cravings. The other strategy is to have healthier options of what you're craving, so you can feel satisfied without derailing your diet. The following are a few food practices that will help with your cravings when they strike.
Fiber rich fruit
Fruit helps increase the fiber in your diet, which helps to keep you full. What's more, water rich choices will help send a signal from your stomach to your brain that you're full. A medium apple has nearly 4.5 grams, a pear has 5.5 grams, and an average-sized orange has around 4 grams of fiber.
Some fiber-rich picks:
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a cup of raspberries packs in 8 grams fiber
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a cup of blueberries has 6 grams
Healthy protein
When it comes to cravings, protein rich foods can be your best friend. For the best effect, try to start your day off with some protein (about 25-30 grams at your first meal) to help keep your hunger and appetite in check. This can help jump-start your wellness goals and eliminate your cravings.
Some Protein-rich picks:
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Eggs
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Greek yogurt
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Fish
Reach for a chocolate treat
If you feel like chocolate candy bars, brownies, or chocolate chip cookies, opt for an ounce of dark chocolate that has at least 70% cacao. Dark Chocolate has lower sugar and calorie counts and is packed with beneficial antioxidants, so it helps keep blood sugar levels stable to control hunger and cravings. Another great option is to make a chocolate protein pudding with greek yogurt. The protein in greek yogurt will help keep you full while the cocoa powder will satisfy your craving for chocolate.
chocolate/greek yogurt pudding:
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Mix 6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt with 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Integrate some oats into your meal
Oats are a fiber rich whole grain often recommended for their heart health benefits but they can also help control appetite and cravings. Oats are particularly high in a type of soluble dietary fiber called beta-glucan, which has been shown to trigger hunger hormones, keeping you fuller, longer. What's more, beta-glucan slows digestion to keep blood sugar and your appetite in check. A cup of oats has about 150 calories and 4 grams of hunger-crushing fiber.
Incorporate oats into:
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Burgers
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Soups and stews
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Casseroles
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Desserts
Additional foods to eat when cravings strike
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt tastes creamy and indulgent, but it’s also really healthy. It’s higher in protein and lower in sugar than regular yogurt, and it’s a good source of calcium, B vitamins and beneficial bacteria. This combination of nutrients makes it a great food for both your bone and digestive health. Moreover, topping your Greek yogurt with fruit may provide additional health benefits and nutrients.
Dark chocolate
If you are craving chocolate, you can try swapping your regular milk chocolate for a small amount of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate that is made with at least 70% cocoa is not only delicious, but it also contains a high amount of antioxidants. Additionally, including dark chocolate in your diet may reduce your risk of heart disease.
However, you’ll still need to watch your portion size. While small amounts have been linked to health benefits, larger amounts will add a lot of sugar to your diet and may not have the same protective effects. Stick to a small square or two to satisfy your cravings.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a mild-flavored cheese product that’s low in calories but very nutritious. Despite containing only 163 calories per cup, it consists of about 70% protein and contains good amounts of calcium, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, vitamin B2. The high protein and low calorie content of cottage cheese can make it a really good snack choice, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
This is because high intakes of protein from dairy foods like cottage cheese have been shown to help people feel fuller longer, which could help you eat less and lose weight.
Edamame
Edamame are immature soybeans. They are often boiled and then sprinkled with salt before most people pop out the beans for a tasty snack. If you’re craving something a bit salty, edamame is a great choice. This low-calorie snack is high in fiber, protein and a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K and folate. 1 cup of edamame contains about 190 calories and 17 grams of protein. This makes edamame a really healthy snack and a great choice for halting your salty cravings in their tracks.
Trail mix
Trail mix is a handy snack that’s made up of dried fruit and nuts. The exact recipe can vary, but the combination of nuts and fruits can make it a great choice if you’re craving something sweet and salty. Trail mix can also help you include some nuts in your diet. Nuts contain a wide range of beneficial nutrients and have been linked to a number of health benefits, including improved blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. However, watch your portion size because a cup of trail mix contains nearly 700 calories. So stick to a handful to avoid overeating.
Lifestyles more susceptible to cravings
While anyone can be susceptible to cravings, there are certain lifestyles that are more likely to attract cravings. Once you recognize that you fall within one of these lifestyles, you will be one step closer to conquering and taking control of your cravings. However if you don’t relate with one of these lifestyles, and still find yourself with unmanageable cravings, it does not mean that you still can’t take control.
Lack of exercise
Those who have a lack of exercise within their daily life routine are going to be more likely to experience cravings. When you are moving less than you typically should, this may cause you to experience more food cravings. This lifestyle may have been a way of life for a few years, or it may have been recently caused due to other factors. Even if you are still exercising, you may not be doing enough to subdue the cravings you are experiencing.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
An increase in your level of physical activity, even if just by walking more, may help reduce food cravings. Try to incorporate at least one hour of physical activity into your day, even if it means splitting that hour into two half hour sessions during the day. You might find that your cravings significantly decrease.
Frequent craving indulgence
Those who frequently indulge in their cravings, or who often give into their cravings, are going to be more likely to experience cravings. Though everyone experiences cravings and may give into them sometimes, those who give into their cravings every time they experience them are more likely to continue to experience them. This lifestyle may experience cravings either once a week or everyday, but each time they crave they allow the cravings to be satisfied.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
Eating a craved food less frequently may be more effective at reducing your craving for that particular food than eating a small portion of that food whenever you crave it. If you experience the mental craving of eating context, like eating popcorn while you watch a movie, try to replace the popcorn with a fruit or vegetable at first. Then, try to completely eliminate your craving to have something to eat while watching a movie.
Poor nutrient diet
Those who have a poor nutrient diet, or lack the essential nutrients their body needs, are going to be more likely to experience cravings. A diet that’s low in these nutrients may cause you to feel hungry or experience cravings, even if you have otherwise eaten enough calories. This lifestyle may be comprised of mainly fast or processed foods, leading to the lack of nutrients and an increase in cravings.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
Nutrients like protein and fiber are essential to your diet and can help you feel full. There are a variety of meals that can be made with different proteins and fibers, even if you find you’re a picky eater or part of a Low-FODMAP diet. Try to limit yourself to one or two fast or processed meals a week at first, and then slowly remove them from your diet.
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Food cravings can be a frustrating and overwhelming feeling that you might think you can’t control. But more often than not, you can control a food craving if you spend some time to sort out its cause. Moreover, there are foods that can either help alleviate or satisfy your cravings. But the most important thing to remember is to never avoid your hunger.
Extra tips for cravings
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You can use a food journal to try and understand why your cravings are there. If you do this for a week or two, then you should begin seeing an emerging pattern of behavior associated with the craving.
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Don’t let yourself get too hungry. Eating several meals through the day may help to control cravings and even binge eating.
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Remember to take care of yourself. If you take good care of yourselves day to day, you may be less likely to feel stressed, angry, and unhappy, and therefore less likely to crave sugar and other foods.
