Food Cravings and What They Mean

There is no scientific explanation for food cravings. Some say food cravings mean you are low in some facet of nutrition. Others say food cravings are created in the brain by suggestion and are not connected to any nutritional needs.

Still, if you have ever had a food craving, you might wonder what it means. Some cravings just don't make any sense, others do.

Craving red meat may mean you need more protein.

Craving fatty foods seem to be connected to emotions. Anxiety, hormone changes and eating disorders all seem to be associated with fatty food cravings.

Weird cravings such as laundry starch, cigarette butts, potting soil and chewing ice may have a linked to an iron deficiency. I had a daughter who craved chalk when she was pregnant. She was low in iron and vitamin B.

Chocolate is a common craving, and may be associated with a lack of magnesium.

The popular website, Women to Women, says food cravings may mean you have low blood sugar and/or low serotonin.

The Journal of Nutrition, Mar 2003 published these statistics: 68% of men and 97% of women reportedly have food cravings. What does that mean? Nothing more than we all have them.

Do men crave different foods than women? Yes. Women are more likely to crave high fat, sweet things. Men crave high fat meats and salty things.

Food can be broken down into 7 categories when trying to analyse food cravings and what they mean.

1. Sweet Cravings
2. Chocolate Cravings
3. Craving Salty Foods
4. Craving Fats
5. Craving Meat
6. Pica Cravings (crazy, and/or harmful cravings)
7. Chewing ice

Pica cravings are the most concerning. If you have one of these weird food cravings, like craving cigerette butts or alcohol or eating chalk, and want to try and solve the mystory of what it means ---good luck. There doesn't seem to be anything specific that they are tied too. The best advice I can give it to just try different things.

Try Omega rich food or supplements (like flax seeds, walnuts or fish oil with no mercury)

Try Dark Chocolate (make sure it is 70% dark)

Try Whole Food Vitamins

Try Trace Minerals

Check into the possibility of food allergies. Often, the foods that we are allergic to are the ones we crave.

People who have done a whole body cleanse often say their food cravings disappear after the cleanse. Eating too much refined sugar or refined flour usually bring them back.

All in all, food cravings are not an indication of a serious health threath. They are mostly just annoying and are often hard to satifiy. Like everything esle in life, it takes self control not to eat too much.

If you have, or have had, a food craving please tell us about it in the comments. If you have any insights into what your food cravings may mean, please share your knowledge.