Craving Control: 10 Most Common Cravings, Their Causes, And How To Control Them

Why do we crave certain foods? What triggers these urges, and how can we control them? Find how to fight cravings? Cravings are a natural part of life, but when they become overwhelming, they can lead to unhealthy eating habits. Understanding the causes behind food cravings can help you make better decisions and regain control.
Whether it's a sudden longing for chocolate or a persistent desire for salty snacks, exploring the underlying reasons behind these cravings and learning how to manage them is crucial for your health and well-being.

What Are Food Cravings and Why Do They Happen?

Food cravings are intense urges to eat specific foods, often driven by the body's nutritional needs or emotional state. While cravings can sometimes be linked to habits or tastes, they often indicate a deficiency or imbalance in your body.
Hormonal fluctuations, stress, and a lack of certain nutrients can all trigger cravings and addictions. For example, a craving for salty foods may be the body’s way of signaling dehydration, while a desire for sweets might suggest low energy levels.

The Most Common Food Cravings and Their Triggers

There are many different types of cravings and they can usually indicate what it is we really need. Take a look at the 10 most common cravings and what they may be trying to tell us.

1. Salt and Salty Foods

While intense salt cravings may be due to an underlying medical condition, most of the time it’s just because of stress, premenstrual syndrome, fatigue, or boredom.

When your body starts to become stressed or bored, you end up eating “comfort foods” which are often salty or fatty. Emotional eating and craving junk food may lead to disruption in your daily eating habits.

Aside from that, craving salt or salty foods may mean that you’re dehydrated. Salt cravings could also mean you have a silicon or chloride deficiency.

What to add to your diet:

• A quart of water for every 50 lbs of body weight each day and water-rich fresh fruit and vegetables to increase hydration levels
• Seaweed, rye, and celery to increase chloride levels
• Nuts and seeds (avoid refined grains) to increase silicon levels

2. Chocolate

Chocolate is another popular food your brain may crave at times.

Craving chocolate can be a sign that your daily magnesium intake is insufficient. Approximately 80% of the general population is deficient in magnesium, and if you exercise regularly, your magnesium requirements increase further.

It’s important to keep your magnesium levels at an optimal level to avoid chocolate consumption, which can possibly raise your blood sugar as well. If you have particularly strong cravings for chocolate, and no other magnesium substitute will do, go for dark chocolate or any kind of chocolate with no milk or sugar in its ingredients.

What to add to your diet:

• Dark chocolate
• Raw cacao nibs
• Nuts
• Green vegetables in your daily diet
• High-quality magnesium supplements

3. Sugar and Sugary Foods

Cravings for sweets often arise when your blood sugar levels drop, leading your body to seek a quick energy fix. Lack of essential nutrients like chromium and phosphorus can also contribute to Sugar Cravings.

What is tryptophan? This is an amino acid essential for optimal growth, especially in children.

What to add to your diet:

• A combination of nutrient-dense sweet foods with protein, fats, or high-fiber foods like nuts and fruit for energy
• Broccoli to increase chromium levels
• Fresh fruit to increase carbon levels
• Nuts to increase phosphorus levels
• Cranberries and cauliflower to increase sulfur levels
• Sweet potato and spinach to increase tryptophan levels

4. Fatty or Oily Foods

Craving fat or fatty foods may be caused by low daily fat intake.

Fat is an essential nutrient in healing and replacing cells in your body, and it’s a vital component in many other bodily functions. Fats cravings may also mean that your daily calcium intake is too low.

Fatty or fried foods like French fries or pizza are also considered comfort foods. People usually crave these kinds of food to improve their mood when they’re sad or stressed out.

What to add to your diet:

• Healthy or smart fats from plant-based sources like:
  • Hemp seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Avocado
  • Nuts
• Leafy greens, legumes, and sesame seeds to increase calcium levels

An interesting note: Low calcium levels may also be linked to soda or carbonated drink cravings.

5. Bread and Toast

Craving these foods may mean that your nitrogen levels are low.

If nitrogen loss is greater than nitrogen intake, a negative nitrogen balance is created within the body.

For the body to make progressions in fitness (and generally be in good health), it needs a positive nitrogen balance to recover from workouts and make adaptations in response to the stimulus caused by training.

What to add to your diet:

• Tofu, nuts, and beans or a high-quality vegetable based protein nutritional supplement like Warrior Blend to improve your nitrogen balance

RELATED: Cravings and Nutritional Deficiencies 101

6. Overeating

Giving in to your urges to eat a lot means your body wants to correct an imbalance. This causes your brain to think you need to overeat to compensate for that imbalance.

Overeating may be caused by tryptophan, silicon, and tyrosine deficiencies.

What is tyrosine? This is an amino acid important in the synthesis of hormones and is created from another amino acid, phenylalanine.

What to add to your diet:

• Sweet potato and spinach to increase tryptophan levels
• Green, red, or orange fruits to increase tyrosine levels
• Nuts, seeds, and oats to increase silicon levels

7. Lack of Appetite

There are a lot of possible reasons for lack of appetite, from metabolic issues to chronic diseases. It can also be because of a lack of certain vitamins and minerals.

Not getting the nutrients your body needs may lead to weight loss and even an eating disorder. Lack of appetite may be caused by chloride, thiamine, niacin, or manganese deficiencies.

What to add to your diet:

• Tomatoes and celery to increase chloride levels
• Seeds and yellow vegetables to increase thiamine levels
• Nuts to increase manganese levels
• Sunflower seeds to increase niacin levels

8. Pasta and Pastries

Craving pasta or pastries can be a sign that your diet is lacking in chromium. It can also mean you need more magnesium in your system.

Carbohydrate cravings can also mean your body needs a serotonin boost, but eating a muffin will only end up with you craving more bread or pasta.

What to add to your diet:

• Onion, apples, and cinnamon to increase your chromium intake
• Green vegetables, seaweed, basil, and coriander for magnesium

9. Red Meat

For those following plant-based protein powders diets, craving red meat might indicate an iron deficiency. Iron is vital for blood health, and plant-based sources of iron are less readily absorbed by the body.

Craving red meat while following a vegan lifestyle (especially if you have not been vegan all your life) may mean you are iron deficient.

As the non-heme iron found in plant food sources is less absorbable than heme iron, it may be advisable to consume 1.5 times the recommended daily intake for iron.

To increase the absorbability of non-heme iron found in plant food sources, combine iron-rich foods with foods high in vitamin C.

What to add to your diet:

• Spinach with an orange, or strawberries and almonds to increase levels of iron

10. Potato Chips

This is a popular craving. Potato chips are not only fatty, but they are also high in sodium.

Then again, eating too many potato chips may become a health problem in the future. Its fat content can affect blood pressure and glucose levels.

Craving potato chips may mean you’re deficient in chloride.

What to add to your diet:

• Celery, tomatoes, or olives to increase chloride levels

11. Cheese

12. Fruit

What Your Cravings Say About Your Health

Cravings can be a sign of an underlying nutritional deficiency or emotional imbalance. For instance, sugar cravings may indicate that your body is low in essential nutrients like chromium, while salt cravings might point to dehydration. Listening to your cravings and addressing them with the right foods can help restore balance and prevent overeating or choosing unhealthy options. If you find yourself craving the same foods consistently, it might be time to evaluate your diet and overall health.

How Emotions Influence Your Food Cravings

Emotional eating is a common reason for food cravings. Stress, boredom, anxiety, and sadness can lead to the desire for comfort foods, often high in sugar or fat. Emotional eating provides temporary relief but can result in long-term health consequences, including weight gain and poor nutrition. Recognizing emotional triggers and finding healthier ways to cope can help reduce cravings driven by mood.

Simple Strategies to Control Food Cravings

Controlling cravings doesn't mean denying yourself the foods you love. Here are some practical strategies for craving control:

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
• Eat a balanced diet with nutrient-dense foods to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
• Practice mindful eating to help recognize true hunger versus emotional cravings.
• Substitute unhealthy cravings with healthier options, such as fruit instead of candy or baked sweet potatoes instead of fries.

Healthy Alternatives to Satisfy Common Cravings

When cravings strike, it's essential to choose healthier alternatives. Instead of reaching for sugary snacks, try fresh fruit or a handful of nuts. Swap chips for crunchy veggies like carrot sticks or cucumbers, and opt for dark chocolate when you crave something sweet. Incorporating whole foods into your diet can prevent unhealthy cravings from taking over.

When to Be Concerned About Persistent Cravings

While occasional cravings are normal, persistent cravings can indicate an underlying health issue, such as a nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance, or emotional problem. If you notice that your cravings are affecting your health or quality of life, it may be time to consult a healthcare professional to identify and address the root cause.

Tips for Maintaining a Balanced Diet While Managing Cravings

Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for controlling cravings and supporting overall health. Here are some tips:

• Plan meals ahead of time to avoid impulsive cravings.
• Include protein, healthy fats, and fiber in each meal to promote satiety.
• Use healthy substitutes for your favorite comfort foods.
• Manage stress through regular physical activity, relaxation techniques, or hobbies.

Conclusion

Cravings are not just random desires; they often serve as signals from our body, indicating a need for specific nutrients or emotional comfort. By listening to these signals and addressing them with balanced and nutritious alternatives, you can regain control over your cravings. Managing cravings effectively can lead to better health, a more balanced diet, and improved overall well-being.

For more health and nutrition tips, visit Sunwarrior.

FAQs

Why am I craving oatmeal?

Craving oatmeal may indicate a need for fiber or complex carbohydrates. Oats are rich in beta-glucan, which helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels, providing a steady energy source.

Craving pumpkin seeds?

This craving may be due to a zinc deficiency. Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, a mineral essential for immune function and cell repair.

Why do I crave cauliflower?

Cauliflower cravings could be due to a need for vitamin C or folate. Cauliflower is a great source of both nutrients, which help with immune function and red blood cell production.

Craving apples?

Apples are rich in fiber and vitamin C. A craving for apples could indicate a need for these nutrients, which are essential for digestive health and immune function.

Craving porridge?

Porridge is often craved when the body needs comfort or energy from complex carbohydrates. It's also a good source of fiber and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Craving potatoes?

Craving potatoes might indicate a need for potassium or energy from carbohydrates. Potatoes are rich in both, making them a valuable food to satisfy cravings.

Why do I crave chips?

Craving chips is often linked to a need for salt or a desire for crunchy, salty comfort foods. It can also be a response to stress or boredom.

Why am I craving cranberry juice?

Cranberry juice cravings could indicate a need for hydration or vitamin C. Cranberries are high in antioxidants, which support immune health.

What deficiency causes sugar cravings?

Sugar cravings are often linked to a deficiency in chromium, magnesium, or phosphorus, which play key roles in blood sugar regulation.

Craving fried food mean?

Craving fried food could indicate a need for fats or a desire for comfort food. It's important to address this craving with healthier fat sources like avocado or nuts.

Craving salty foods?

Salty cravings can be caused by dehydration, stress, or mineral deficiencies, particularly sodium or chloride.

Why do I crave fruit?

Craving fruit is often a sign that your body needs vitamins, particularly vitamin C or hydration.

Onion craving vitamin deficiency?

Craving onions might be a sign of a sulfur or vitamin C deficiency, both of which are abundant in onions.

Why am I craving nuts?

Nuts are high in healthy fats and protein. A craving for nuts may indicate a need for these essential nutrients.

Why do I crave spinach?

Craving spinach could be due to a need for iron or magnesium. Spinach is rich in both nutrients, which support blood health and muscle function.

Craving pumpkin meaning?

Craving pumpkin may indicate a need for vitamin A, which supports immune function and vision health.

Craving vitamin C?

Craving vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits may point to a deficiency in this essential nutrient, which is important for immune health and skin.

Why am I craving vegetables?

Vegetable cravings could signal a need for fiber, vitamins, and minerals, particularly if your diet has been lacking in these areas.

Why do I crave cilantro?

Cilantro cravings may indicate a need for antioxidants or vitamin K, which are abundant in cilantro and help support detoxification processes.

Craving for Carbs?

Craving carbohydrates could be your body’s way of signaling a need for energy or a serotonin boost.

Craving for Chocolate?

Chocolate cravings often point to a magnesium deficiency. Opt for dark chocolate to satisfy this craving in a healthier way.

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Watch Dr. Weston discuss how addiction compares to cravings in this video from Sunwarrior:

Sometimes, people will experience multiple cravings. When devising a nutritional plan, I recommend you select foods that contain nutrients linked to several cravings to see if this helps.

If you still suffer cravings, select the food specific to that craving to correct the deficiency that craving is linked to. Once you address the deficiency, your craving control will surely improve!

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How do you practice craving control when the cravings are really strong? We’d like to hear your tips on how to reduce cravings in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 9, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.