Managing Food Cravings:  What Do Your Food Cravings Mean?   How can you minimize food cravings?

Cravings can be very difficult to overcome. Sometimes it feels like you'll do anything to satisfy the urge to eat chocolate or a bag of chips. When you crave food, your body is talking to you. It's telling you are lacking in one or more vital nutrients. For women, especially, our monthly cycles deplete our body of certain key nutrients and minerals and as you can see on this list there is a direct correlation to the craving and our lowered mineral levels.

I use this in my practice with my clients and find that as we begin to make slight adjustments, the body responds well and cravings abate and balance is restored.

Check out the list of common food cravings and how you can add nutrients to minimize cravings.

If you crave....

Chocolate
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Magnesium: Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Chromium: Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, calves liver, chicken
Carbon: fresh fruits
Phosphorus: Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains
Sulfur: Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage
Tryptophan: Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach


Bread, toast
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Nitrogen: High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans

Oily snacks, fatty foods
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Calcium: Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame

Coffee or tea
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Phosphorous: Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes
Sulfur: Egg yolks, red peppers, muscle protein, garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables
NaCl (salt): Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad)
Iron : Meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries


Alcohol & drugs
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Protein: Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts
Avenin: Granola, oatmeal
Calcium: Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Glutamine: Supplement glutamine powder for withdrawal, raw cabbage juice
Potassium: Sun-dried black olives, potato peel broth, seaweed, bitter greens

Chewing ice
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Iron: Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries

Burned food
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Carbon: Fresh fruits

Soda and other carbonated drinks
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Calcium: Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame

Salty foods
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Chloride: Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt

Preference for liquids rather than solids
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Water: Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.

Preference for solids rather than liquids
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Water: You have been so dehydrated for so long that you have lost your thirst.
Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.

Cool drinks
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Manganese: Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries

Pre-menstrual cravings
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Zinc: Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root
vegetables

General overeating
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Silicon: Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
Tryptophan: Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Tyrosine: Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables

Lack of appetite
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Vitamin B1: Nuts, seeds, beans, liver and other organ meats
Vitamin B3: Tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds and legumes
Manganese: Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Chloride: Raw goat milk, unrefined sea salt

Tobacco
YOU NEED: YOU SHOULD EAT:
Silicon: Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
Tyrosine: Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables