Craving a scrumptious, delectable, sinful pizza absolutely dripping with cheese or constantly find yourself reaching for that box of Godiva chocolates, shutting up the part of your brain that’s blabbering on about killing your skin and destroying the hard won waistline? I am all for every kind of unhealthy food, especially when one is tucked into bed, late on a Sunday evening, watching the latest episode of The Good Wife.
But for the slightly more sane, it might be interesting to know that these cravings are usually our body’s way of SOS-ing the need for replenishing its store of vital nutrients. And that most of the cravings can actually be tackled by a healthier alternative, thereby satisfying the urge without the calories and other skin-destroying stuff. Here’s the 101 on decoding the signals.
You are craving: Cheese, pizza, pasta
Your body needs: Carbs, proteins
Try: Lean chicken, whole grain cereals or bread, bean salad, bean chili, baked potatoes, brazil nuts, oily fish, avocados, broccoli
You are craving: Chocolate
Your body needs: Magnesium
Try: High energy foods like nuts, seeds, wholegrain bread or crackers, berries etc.
You are craving: Candy
Your body needs: Chromium, sulphur, trypt0fan, carbon
Try: Beans, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cranberries, grapes
You are craving: Chips
Your body needs: Calcium and protein
Try: Meat, fish, chicken, eggs or pulses
You are craving: Bread, pasta
Your body needs: Nitrogen
Try: Nuts, fish, meat, beans
You are craving: Greasy fries, burgers or fry-ups
Your body needs: Salt
Try: Sushi, almonds, grilled bacon, lemon juice, salad tossed with unrefined sea salt, roasted sunflower seeds
You are craving: Deep fried snacks
Your body needs: Calcium
Try: Sesame, string cheese, legumes, mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale
You are craving: Soda, soft drinks
Your body needs: Calcium
Try: Leafy green veggies, sesame seeds, yoghurt, milk
Kristen says
What about something like ice cream? I often crave ice cream (though I’m pretty good at ignoring it)
Sangeeta says
This is very useful. Didn’t know you could have substitutes based on your cravings.
bimal says
this is so stupid. literally make healthy subs. no s**t eating nuts is better than chocolate. Food is comfort, that is why we crave,.
let me not pizza and eat lean chicken and rice….NO DUHHHHHHHHHHH