Do you have a hankering for chocolate or a cup of coffee? Do you crave a sweet treat after a savoury meal? Is it all in your head or do you really have a physical urge or desire? Holistic health expert Anthia Koullouros has the answers.
1. Balance stress
Food cravings arise to satisfy emotional needs, such as calming stress and reducing anxiety. Many studies have identified links between mood changes, low serotonin levels and food cravings. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter; a chemical that transmits messages in the brain and nervous system. It can affect mood and social behaviour, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory and sexual desire.
2. Address food intolerance and sensitivities
Food reactions cause the body stress. The body responds by producing endorphins, which are in the opiate family along with morphine. Opiates make us feel good, so we end up craving and consuming more of these same foods in an effort to get more of these addictive, “happy” chemicals. This then feeds the food sensitivity reactions that lead to more addictive chemicals causing a vicious cycle.
3. Avoid sugar
Sugar also interacts with the opioid system in the brain, triggering an addiction or craving. There is evidence that addiction and food craving activate some of the same brain areas. Also when we consume excess sugars, the body quickly releases extra insulin to help balance blood sugar by transporting glucose into the cells. Afterwards, the blood sugar can drop to low again, resulting in a craving for more sugar, repeating the cycle.
4. Eat more healthy fats
Healthy, grass fed, saturated fats (from beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, pork) are needed for proper function of the nerves, brain, hormones, immune system and metabolism. When we consume enough saturated fats, we produce a hormone in the stomach that signals we’ve eaten enough.
5. Correct poor digestion and absorption
When we don’t meet our nutritional needs due to poor digestion and absorption, our body craves extra food in an attempt to fill in the nutritional requirements.
6. Not enough good bacteria and intestinal dysbiosis
Did you know that poor cognitive function could be caused by an imbalance in gut bacteria (not enough good guys and too many bad guys)? Cravings for stimulating foods such as sugar and caffeine can rise to alleviate brain fog, poor concentration and poor memory recall. Starving the bad bugs of sugar will help curb cravings, as they love sugar contributing to more sugar cravings. Some studies have shown that probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus had a marked effect on GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is significantly involved in regulating many physiological and psychological processes) levels in certain brain regions and lowered the stress-induced hormone corticosterone, resulting in reduced anxiety- and depression-related behaviour. 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Healthy gut bacteria help produce more serotonin.
7. Eat a high protein breakfast
Late-night sugar cravings are often related to blood sugar imbalance. Eating high protein early in the morning has a stabilising effect on blood sugar throughout the day.
8. Eat more carbohydrates, but only the best kinds
Not enough carbohydrates can lead to really strong sugar cravings in the evening that are often satisfied with less healthy carbs, like ice cream and chocolate. Add extra fruit and sweet potatoes or rice in your diet during the day.
9. Eat more food, but better
Do you experience sweet cravings after meals? Or do you crave processed fatty foods like chips? The problem might be not eating enough healthy calorie foods. Eating a plate of healthy pastured or grass fed animal proteins such as fish, eggs, beef, lamb, pork or chicken with a good fat (cook these in butter, ghee or coconut oil) and plenty of fresh vegetables will usually satisfy your appetite and curb cravings for more food. A meal of high carbohydrates such as pasta will only lead to a desire for more carbohydrates.
10. Include natural salt in your diet
Cravings for salty foods could simply be resolved by eating more natural salt in your previous meal. Eat more foods from the seas such as seafood and fish. Craving salt may also be partly due to being dehydrated. When dehydrated the body loses water, electrolytes, and salt.
11. Curb cravings quickly
When you are caught out or trying to break the cycle try out the following:
– Glutamine helps curb carbohydrate cravings. It calms compulsive feelings. Dose: 1-2 grams mixed with coconut oil and consumed before meals.
– Chromium and magnesium can help curb sugar cravings.
– Crave high sugary carbohydrates after dinner, consume 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or 2 tablespoons of cultured or lacto fermented vegetables straight in your mouth. It stops them in their tracks.
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