Food Cravings? Here Is What Your Body Really Wants.

by tamara on May 5, 2011

If you crave this…	What you really need is…	And here are healthy foods that have it:
Chocolate	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Sweets	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	Nitrogen	High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans
Oily snacks, fatty foods	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Coffee or tea	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, recreational drugs	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	Iron	Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Burned food	Carbon	Fresh fruits
Soda and other carbonated drinks	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Salty foods	Chloride	Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt
Acid foods	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Preference for liquids rather than solids	Water	Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Preference for solids rather than liquids	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	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Pre-menstrual cravings	Zinc	Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables
General overeating	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	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	Silicon	Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables

Tagged as: food, Health, Tamara Kerner

149 comments - Latest by:

JB Bennett (devonly) | Pearltrees
[...] Food Cravings? Here Is What Your Body Really Wants~ [...]
First trimester survival guide - BabyandBump
[...] or food group, your lacking in something. Here is a link indicating cravings and what they mean - http://www.dailytransformations.com/...-really-wants/ 5. Worries? - call your doctor, gp, NHS Direct immediately. There is nothing worst than paniking [...]

{ 141 comments… read them below or add one }

ALan May 11, 2011 at 2:01 pm

HI there,
I’ve been sent this link by a friend, it’s very interesting, would you be able to explain how this is determined or maybe a link to a site or a book where you got the information from? I’d love to know more, thanks.

tamara May 12, 2011 at 11:46 am

Hi ALan, there is a link at the beginning of the article.
xo

tamara June 7, 2011 at 3:58 pm: Hand, Watch the movie Food Matters. Our medical community refuses to acknowledge, even covers up, anything outside of it’s own drug based belief system.
Thank you for reading. That was a repost as mentioned in the body of the article, you may want to contact him to get your questions answered.

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heather May 16, 2011 at 8:08 am

Great post! I found u from stumbling! I’ll be back for sure!
~Heather
http://Www.livingonloveandcents.com

tamara May 16, 2011 at 9:25 am: Thank you Heather~
I need to figure out Stumble Upon. My friend Laurie stumbled this and I’ve got to dedicate some time to it. I’ll also check out your blog!
xo

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Dr Clark May 25, 2011 at 9:50 pm

It a common misconception that you crave certain foods because of specific nutritional deficits but there is actually no data out there to support this claim. For instance, when you need vitamin C you don’t crave oranges you just get scurvy. Getting vitamin C then alleviates the scurvy. You crave sweets because they cause a spike in blood sugar and you crave tobacco, drugs, and alcohol because of a physical or psychological addiction in which case the substance that your body is missing is indeed nicotine, drugs, or alcohol (in the case of the physical addiction.) It is tempting to believe someone who makes a claim like this because it seems to make so much sense but nutrition is an impressive science now and you don’t have to be a doctor or scientist to learn more about it! All of this is information available to the public and is easily accessed through your computer! Also, although it is the basis of life on earth, “carbon” by itself (as in graphite and diamonds) is not a nutritional requirement of the body.

lethalenoki May 29, 2011 at 12:07 pm

Quite a bit? There are two references. One is from a lecture by someone at a college of naturopathy, which means it is essentially untraceable as well as biased. The other is a book from 1983, and nutritional medicine has advanced drastically since even the 90′s. While there may be some truth in all of this, it is not verified nor is it scientific, and arguing that it is approaches absurdism.

BioGrad May 29, 2011 at 1:58 pm

Uh… actually, if you check the original article, there’s only two references. In no universe does that count as “quite a bit of reference publications.” The average scientific article that would make the claim for ONE of these nutrition/craving links would have at least 30. In terms of the amount of scientific literature out on nutrition, two is practically nothing. It’s just nit-picking from individual articles instead of doing an analysis of all published research. Also, one article is only about healthy eating… the article that specifically points out cravings and deficiencies is from 1983. In terms of journal publications, unless it was a major article something that old is outdated.

The doctor makes some good points, though I’ve never researched this myself. If you want to, you should head over to Google scholar and read through the literature. To some extent nutrition is about opinions, but legitimate biological research on human nutrition is done world-wide, and gets published in journals. There’s certainly already articles in the literature that answer these questions, though the body is such a complex mechanism I’d be surprised if there weren’t different answers for different nutrients.

In short, since it’s an interest of yours, you should go into the literature and figure it out yourself! Educational and fun! =)

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:48 pm: Thank you Bio Grad.

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Carlito Rojas May 30, 2011 at 2:59 am

What reference publications have been listed? There’s a link that has this list verbatim but that’s all I see.

Debi Gouge November 10, 2011 at 6:20 am

Dr. Clark….there are lots of things out there in this world that have no scientific proof and cannot be explained…but are none the less true. Just a year ago I was severely anemic for almost 2 years due to heavy bleeding….long story…even though I was taking Fetrin Iron twice a day…my iron levels were staying very low. I started craving apples…about 5-8 a day!!! I gave into this craving and my iron level quickly returned to an acceptable range even though my bleeding problem persisted. I did some nutritional research and found that the pectin in apples holds onto iron in the body..thus helping me to keep more of the iron I was taking instead of it leaving as waste.

Also the reason I was bleeding so badly was due to fibroid tumors….and due to extensive surgeries when I was a child…a hysterectomy was not recommended because of scar tissue. I did some more research and found that by taking 6000 mg of Vit.C spread out over the day and drinking Pau D’Arco herbal tea had been shown in the nutritional and supplimental fields to shrink tumors anywhere in your body. So, I proceeded on this course for 3 weeks ; and low and behold after a day and a half of severe cramping…I “delivered” a shrunken tumor….two days later ,the bleeding stopped after 6 months of constant flow. Took this tumor to my Dr. who said that what I had done was impossible…but sent it to the lab and indeed it was a fibroid tumor. I then over the course of 6 months “delivered” 2 more and my problem has not reared it’s ugly head since.

So, despite “Proof” as if where….I am proof that nutrition plays a big part in lots of aspects of our lives. And it never hurts to add these foods to your diet and if it works for you…then it gains the “proof” that it needed to be valid.

Jilly November 23, 2011 at 3:10 am

Debi Gouge…. Wow. That’s incredible. Aweing & inspirational. Thank-you very much for taking the time to share your personal experiences

Stephanie December 20, 2011 at 1:10 pm: Wow Debi, that is an amazing story! I agree with you that you don’t need 30 scientific articles to back up something if it works for you. Our incredible body is the product of a designer and it has it’s own ways of fixing things. Last summer I had some unexplainable symptoms and I constantly craved lemon and garlic, I’m still not sure why but I think it is the course of wisdom to listen when your body craves something. Thank you for sharing that experience.

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Trixie December 27, 2011 at 6:21 am

I totally agree! The medical profession ( and I am one of them) has to have the scientific research backed by double blind placebo tests….when in actuality, the body will tell you what it needs. The old medicine people of the earlier years “Knew” this stuff and used it, but we have grown to such a state that we are discouraged, even ridiculed for truly allowing our bodies to work for us…not against us. Nutrition is the key!

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:31 pm

Thank you Trixie. So glad to hear that you come from both sides of the camp. I dream of a day when the medical profession as we know it, embraces the other side of the coin and vs. versa working together on holistic medicine. Treating the patient, the symptoms AND the cause on every level including the emotional and energetic. Happy New Year!! Thank you for writing.

Dr. Velonda January 9, 2012 at 8:21 am: I like you will be glad when more physician realize that pharmaceutical based medicine is what should be considered “alternative”. The documentary Forks over Knives is a giant step in that direction!

Dianne January 28, 2012 at 9:06 pm

I’ve had 5 children. With each, I had an intense craving for ice chips or even
strong menthol cough drops. The doctor knew to look for iron deficiencies
because the cravings always coinsided with one. I would go on supplements and
the craving would go away. I can not attest for all cravings but mine supports that
others may be true as well.

Ruthie May 26, 2011 at 12:02 pm

I agree with the doc on this one. I for one do not believe nutrition is a topic at all like politics. Yes, we do discover new things about nutrition quite often but that most of the information is backed up on facts. I can tell you right now that if I am craving sweets, my body will not be satisfied with the foods that were listed. Also, I have never craved burnt food. That’s a new one to me.

Jsckie Anne June 13, 2011 at 9:53 am: i craved burnt food when i was going through puberty, i wanted to eat coal!!!
I ate burnt toast instead, saying that, it was 26 years ago
Jackie

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Kari May 27, 2011 at 12:34 pm

Awesome post. Never seen anything like this! I do know that that when I crave something bad something else that is healthier will usually fill the void, but now I have a better incline on what to reach for. Thanks for that!

Jennifer May 27, 2011 at 6:02 pm

What an interesting idea. It would be a kick to see if these alternatives really work. I usually find that my cravings are based on the exact item, and even a fake won’t suffice. But, might be worth a try!

lucy May 28, 2011 at 12:47 pm

i dont really agree with this. if i’m craving chocolate, some nuts arent going to cut. i just want chocolate. same goes for most of these.

gina August 24, 2011 at 9:49 am

How about, chocolate covered nuts.

tamara August 27, 2011 at 8:22 am: ha ha. cure for pms.

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Luis May 28, 2011 at 10:07 pm

Hi Tamara,
i got to your site thanks to stumbleupon. i found your post and proposals very interesting; although, I could not find an article on the internet that actually evidences these cravings and what they might stand for. I am a medicine student so i know some cravings do mean something like having low levels of sugar makes you hungry or having hypovolemia (low blood volume) makes you thirsty and most of these things are regulated by the nervous system, because of that there might just be some truth to what is being proposed in your post; the thing is i have not been able to find anything, i looked at the web-link at the top of the post and look at its references but i wasn’t lucky neither on pubmed nor google scholar. And i was wondering if you could give me some biobliography or articles, becuase i am really interested.

tank you

Carol May 28, 2011 at 10:44 pm

I had an intense craving for ice. Ice all the time for months. A little bit of liquid and a whole lot of ice made me very happy. Went to the doctor and blood work and labs were fine My only issue I have heavy cycles. I read up and started to take iron pills every day and my ice cravings vanished. So I do believe that some cravings do have a nutritional deficiency basis. I am not a doctor. I do know that some deficiencies are due to illness’s as well. For me though adding iron to my diet solved my really weird preoccupation with ice.

Pagophagia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pagophagia is a form of the disorder pica involving the compulsive consumption of ice or iced drinks.[1] It has been associated with iron deficiency anemia,[2][3] and shown to respond to iron supplementation,[4][5] leading some investigators to postulate that some forms of pica may be the result of nutritional deficiency. Ice tastes better if the individual is iron deficient.[citation needed] Chewing ice may lessen pain in glossitis related to iron deficiency anemia.[6] However, the American Dental Association recommends not chewing ice because it can crack teeth; instead ice should be allowed to melt in the mouth. [7]

colin May 28, 2011 at 10:46 pm

This is provides AWESOME info! Thank you so much for sharing!

Diane May 29, 2011 at 12:47 am

As surprising as this is, I really must go with the doc on this one as well, for the most part at least. I know when I crave, say, Doritos, I can have anything else but I still want Doritos if that was not amongst the snack-a-thon. I can eat “healthy alternatives” but sometimes ya also just have to have soul food. “Bad foods” are not bad, as long as they are in moderation; something most people throw out the window. It’s part of being responsible, which is a fear of most people. While I do agree that sometimes a craving is your body asking for something that isn’t the craving target, for example a mineral or vitamin, I think the vast majority of the time a craving is just a craving. I say eat what you want to stave a craving, the rest of the time eat balanced, healthy, wholesome foods. Live happily!

Alex May 29, 2011 at 9:31 am

Not sure if I agree with the alcohol one, l could have a drink of gin to unwind, or eat some oatmeal?! lol

Elie May 29, 2011 at 4:33 pm

This is more true for children and adults that have major health problems. I have a friend of mine that is literally allergic to meat (real protein like mushrooms and soy also). When she craves something she probably actually needs it. As for burnt food, I have, as well as my mother, have always preferred burnt toast and cookies.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:48 pm: lol, me too. I love burnt toast with butter.

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Cloe May 29, 2011 at 6:46 pm

Good advices Thx:)

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:48 pm: Thank you for stopping by Cloe

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Gail May 29, 2011 at 7:21 pm

The author did not mention that many allergy doctors maintain patients have cravings for certain foods because they are actually allergic to them.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:47 pm

VERY true!

Kim July 4, 2011 at 12:42 pm

I have many allergies, as well as food sensitivities that have been discovered by an allergist and a naturpathic doctor, and I agree with Gail. But maybe the cravings stem from the fact that I shouldn’t eat these foods, more physcological than biological

tamara July 4, 2011 at 10:37 pm

You know Kim, I agree with you. Often times the foods that we crave routinely, we’re allergic to. I enjoyed the chart on cravings and found them very interesting. Thanks for reading.
xo

Tamara July 19, 2011 at 9:35 pm

my lo craves cheese and milk products but doesnt tolerate them at all same with soy goat milk and flax seed. she is only 3. we can give her it more often if we use enzymes. but she seeks it out.

her sis 16 mo old is allergic to soy beef dairy likely oranges… um what else…. i think she may be anemic she eats egg shells chalk wood chips rocks. i know kids put everything in their mouths but these items are her favorite most things she does it once or a few times and learns… with esp egg shells she will even go digging in the garbage for them.

Frugal Hausfrau December 11, 2011 at 10:15 pm: I craved milk on and off for years – I’d pour a glass, drink it, and pour another, etc. Almost uncontrollably. A nutritionist suggested I might be lacking in vitamin d. (This was years ago, before much info was out to the general public.) I started taking supplements, and lo and behold, the craving was gone. I have a sun allergy so I always wear sunscreen when I’m outside, in addition to living in Minnesota, where it’s dark and we spend a lot of time indoors. You can actually get your vitamin d level checked at the doctor’s.

Karen Smith May 30, 2011 at 6:36 am

Hi tamara! You were in my email this morning from Stumble Upon also. That’s great this was great info and interesting comments! I will be back!

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:47 pm: Thank you Karen. I need to figure out Stumble Upon. I’m grateful for the traffic. Thank you for reading!

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Avrohom Bilgrei May 30, 2011 at 8:01 am

ONE PROBLEM!
Animal protein NO!
The fact’s are succinct, as per The China Study.

Kari May 30, 2011 at 8:18 am

Hello All,

I am not a Dr., Nutritionist, or have studied extensively, other than life experience. I can state that I am a mother of ten children and have seen more often than not, our bodies ‘crave’ many things, and at many times we misinterpret the cravings. How often is a craving actually a need for water? Or Sleep? And yet if I did listen to the needs of my children with in reason, they were quite happy. How often is a crabby child in the store in need of water and a hug. Not that candy bar they crave? Or they needed a good meal instead of a candy bar that was quick and now have an addiction to chocolate? I know this is a bit aside from the focus of this panel, and not a parenting site.
I do also believe that some people are in tune with their bodies enough to crave foods they are lacking. I am one of them.. Once you figure out what your bodiy is actually asking for.

Often craving soda, I actually am in need of some citrus. a quick glass of orange jucie fixes the issue.
Nice site to come upon and I do hope we all find what our bodies need and have good health..!

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Thank you Kari. I couldn’t agree more with your water point!

Diana August 31, 2011 at 10:19 am: …and sleep! I don’t think people get enough sleep these days!

I agree with Kari. I have been into nutrition and have avoided Doctors most of my life and believe there is a place for them but when it comes to nutrition, they haven’t got a clue (most of them). I believe their goal is prescription medicine where they make all their money. I have seen my life transformed by healthy eating and all my cravings disappear but you have to clean out your intestines to get rid of years of build up of ‘memory’ (cravings). Anyway, alcohol /junk food in moderation isn’t bad but if there are health issues then I would definitely consider better nutrition as an answer.

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Chris May 31, 2011 at 12:58 pm

ABSOLUTELY nutrition is like politics! Look at proponents of veganism vs. the Weston A. Price Foundation for example. Both are convinced they have a nutritionally superior way of doing things, both have studies they can call on to “prove” their point of view and they are in complete opposite directions! Or look at conventional “wisdom” about fats and whole food proponents. Or whole food proponents vs. conventional views on artificial sweeteners. Again, complete opposites, both can “prove” their point of view. We are extremely far from understanding everything about the body and even basic nutrition. It is hubris to say otherwise.

DanielS June 1, 2011 at 1:13 am

I like the idea for this list however, if I’m craving sweets, liver isn’t going to do it for me. The only things that should have been put in that list would be Grapes, Fresh fruits, Cranberries, rasins (isn’t that a fruit and a grape?) and mabye sweet potato. While I understand that other food items have nutrients that my body want’s, if I want something sweet the majority of that list isn’t going to stifle my wanting for something sweet.

And yes I am limiting my rant to just the sweets, however you get my point I’m sure.

Whatevs June 1, 2011 at 8:34 pm

Medical science can’t even get a handle on why Americans are obese, diabetic, and cancer-ridden. Can’t be the stuff we eat! Doctors aren’t gods, they get things wrong and they are clearly missing something.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:43 pm

Vanessa, The world likes to negate anything it doesn’t understand or might shake up the “system”. I’ve seen this list for years and I agree with it. Sadly, “modern medicine” doesn’t always follow modern science discoveries. Look at what physics has proven about energy yet our medical society denies anything that might shake up their own system.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:43 pm

Sinan, The world likes to negate anything it doesn’t understand or might shake up the “system”. I’ve seen this list for years and I agree with it. Sadly, “modern medicine” doesn’t always follow modern science discoveries. Look at what physics has proven about energy yet our medical society denies anything that might shake up their own system.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:44 pm

Nathan, try it before you knock it. The world likes to negate anything it doesn’t understand or might shake up the “system”. I’ve seen this list for years and I agree with it. Sadly, “modern medicine” doesn’t always follow modern science discoveries. Look at what physics has proven about energy yet our medical society denies anything that might shake up their own system.

tamara June 2, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Thank you Mark! I’ve personally experienced many of these cravings and have found the chart to be quite accurate. I too see a naturopathic MD and get the best of both worlds. I’m saddened by the passionate defensive response of many here. (but glad for the traffic! ha)

polka-dot-pin-up June 3, 2011 at 5:55 am

I believe the ice one craved it through out my pregnancy and what do you know i had low iron i still crave it now but only if i haven’t taken my iron supplements for the day. as for the “Recreational drugs” and the lack of protein yeah i don’t think your friendly addict at the methadone clinic would appreciate if you handed him a steak i think he’d want the drug somehow

Jenny June 4, 2011 at 9:18 am

I’m pretty sure when I’m craving chocolate, I’m just craving chocolate. Eating raw nuts and seeds, legumes, or fruits instead isn’t going to make me happy. It’s still going to make me want chocolate because I don’t have the same emotional connection to those foods as I do with chocolate.

Jenny June 4, 2011 at 9:23 am

And I would like to add to this that this list has completely ignored the psychology of it all. Eating and craving things has a very strong neurologic component to it. It’s not just about what your body needs, it’s also about how people relate emotionally with certain foods.

tamara June 4, 2011 at 6:13 pm: Jenny I never thought of that. Thank you.

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tamara June 4, 2011 at 6:13 pm

I agree Jenny. But next time, if you find you’re eating chocolate every single day, eat a brazil nut. I love chocolate too but sometimes i notice if i’m really craving it i may need to check in. I’d never tell a girl to SUBSITUTE her chocolate 100% of the time.
thank you for reading~

Ben August 12, 2011 at 6:04 am

As per your assessment of the psychological side of cravings and addiction, many of those are at least started, if not compounded by certain chemicals in said food item that our brain respo nds strongly and favorably to. As in chocolate, our cravings have alot more to do with its ingredients (added or natural) such as milk (full of addictive fat and a whole range of un-/natural hormones and amino acids such as tryptophan that’s converted into serotonin), sugar (HIGHLY addictive…try eating 75% cacao and up with no added sugar lol), phenylethylamine (one of the neurotransmitters released when we’re in love), theobromine (vasodilator and mild myocardial stimulant), and caffeine (positive effect on our affect, energy, and mood…also addictive).

stargirl June 11, 2011 at 10:17 am

since when is tea not a healthy food?
not to mention chocolate… dark chocolate actually has immense health benefits!
even coffee, to some extent, can help, though usually decaf is the better choice
and bread can be immensely healthy; it’s meant to be the main part of our diet

tamara June 12, 2011 at 6:18 am: Stargirl, I’m not sure where you’re getting the idea that tea isn’t a healthy food. I’m an herbalist and believe in the health benefits of tea. Decaf contains many chemicals and I never recommend using decaf. Always better to have everything in moderation. thanks for reading~

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judy June 14, 2011 at 6:22 am

Really interesting! I do have a problem believing that (no matter what the craving or underlying issue) the consumption of organ meat is healthful. Other than that some of it makes sense. My organic green tea is staying put though.

Jen June 14, 2011 at 9:31 am

I’m another StumbleUpon visitor. This is definitely interesting and I’d be curious to hear if there have been any sort of experiments with these. But I do agree, that sometimes when you’re craving sweets/chocolate only sweets/chocolate will suffice!

Kara June 17, 2011 at 12:36 am

I love your post, but more I love your grace in handling the ‘opposition’.
I do share your views as expressed here, and it is sad that so many can’t open up to see truth around them and dispel so much information that doesn’t come conformed to the usually biased medical and scientific evidence and literature of our current culture. Testimonials are so often not considered as evidence. How sad. Glad you had the ‘umph’ to post and gracefully reply to those who can’t see things that can most likely help them *yet*…..
I would never want to encourage anyone to ignore a doctors labwork results and be the fool in that way. I do hope that many folks’ eyes can be open to the real truth of our bodies and our need for the nutrient blocks that occur natually in food, and how the deficiency in either people’s diets or in our food today that might not be as nutrient dense as it once was can be a major contributor to ailments and sicknesses.

tamara June 21, 2011 at 4:12 pm: Thank you Kara. I agree, I would never suggest someone to ignore a doctor’s lab results AND we all need to open our minds and realize that our western medicine isn’t always the whole picture. Thank you for reading!!

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tamara June 21, 2011 at 4:11 pm

Hi Carly, We often, myself included, crave what we’re allergic to….My hunch, and this isn’t scientific is that you’re craving fat. I would eat something healthy and fatty like a raw brazil nut, almond, pecan or another dense raw nut like Mac nuts.
xo

Jessica December 10, 2011 at 1:57 pm: or Avocado!!

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Deborah Neiman June 21, 2011 at 9:21 pm

Great information – very helpful especially for those people looking to supplement their diet without just taking pills!

nathan tancula June 21, 2011 at 11:45 pm

lol guys seriously stop beating her up, she jsut posted something up cus she thought it was interesting. U don’t have to basically call her stupid in a nice way just because you don’t think this shit is true. How about u jsut stfu and try it to see if it works? Otherwise gtfo

tamara June 23, 2011 at 12:02 pm: Thanks Nathan.

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Andie June 29, 2011 at 11:55 pm

I can always tell when my iron is too low, because of my ice cravings. Without fail, ice cravings in my own experiences have been low iron. after my iron levels are boosted back within normal ranges, I became intolerant to eating the ice again. My teeth are too sensitive, lol.
Thanks for sharing, the information is very interesting, whether it is accurate enough or not
I also stumbled you, by the way!

tamara June 30, 2011 at 8:16 am: Thank you Andie!!

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Shrads July 4, 2011 at 4:36 am

Very Interesting. Good site that I stumbled upon

Petra July 6, 2011 at 6:19 am

I found this on Stumble. I loved your post thanks for the wonderful information.

George Thomas July 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm

This is one of the most accurate lists I’ve seen yet. It’s hard to suppress cravings when you don’t really know what your body needs. There’s even a cure for lack of appetite!

Chels July 7, 2011 at 10:32 pm

What if you’re craving cheese? I have cravings for cheese a lot and end up having it for every meal is some way, I can’t see how this could be very healthy for me.

Meg @ One Love Meg July 8, 2011 at 2:42 pm

I love this! I am new to stumble upon and it’s really awesome becasue now I found you. I have afternoon cravings and it’s usually chocolate or something sweet. I am going to use this list as a guide so I can get to the root of my cravings. Thanks for this!

Cheryl Hanson July 10, 2011 at 9:33 am

A great list, and sometimes takes a moment to understand that what our minds think our bodies need, can be jumbled a bit. We get so lost in what we think is right, sometimes we need to open our minds to new ideas, before we can be the change we hope to experience.

Never has food been so unhealthy in our general restaurants and processed food industry. It is truly frightening! Take back your health with a little bit of wisdom shown here, and some great new information on fresh and chemical free living choices.

Pst. Bon July 11, 2011 at 6:23 pm

Thanks for sharing, i like it

JowelMD July 17, 2011 at 10:07 am

You’ve done a great job listing down alternatives for specific cravings. I really think it’s important to realize what lifestyle changes can do to your health. Changing the way you eat is not merely changing WHAT you eat but also HOW you eat. Very informative, thank you.

enfuegoinc July 17, 2011 at 10:22 am

This is an interesting chart.

Ally July 18, 2011 at 12:12 am

While I am open to the idea that sometimes we do crave something specifically because of a nutritional deficiency, it certainly is not the whole story. Cravings often defy the explanation of modern nutritional theory. A good example is pregnancy. Women crave very specific and unusual foods when they are pregnant; sometimes foods they almost never eat at any other time. People will tell you that this is their body’s way of telling them what the baby needs. This might be true in some cases, but there is little consistent evidence to support this. While you do have increased nutritional needs in general during pregnancy, the specific foods an individual woman craves do not appear to be linked to observed nutritional deficiencies in either the mother or the fetus. It is likely that pregnancy cravings are a direct result of the way pregnancy hormones affect our brains (women tend to crave certain foods during PMS for similar reason).

Its my personal opinion that cravings for most foods (and drugs, alcohol, etc.) are linked directly to brain chemistry. Sugar acts very much like a mood enhancing drug in the brain (sugar water is actually used as pain killer for babies because of the way it stimulates pleasure receptors). Likewise, chocolate, tea, coffee, and a host of other foods contain compounds such as caffeine and theobromine that have mood enhancing effects and have been demonstrated to be addictive in nature. Milk and cheese have opiate like effects in the brain. And on and on.

Last but not least, you can’t discount the pure social and psychological aspects of food craving. You may have associations with eating certain foods at certain times based on your culture or upbringing, or you may crave something because you have pleasant associations with it.

Danny Johnson July 20, 2011 at 6:54 am

Hi Tamara,

Love the healthy eating blog site. Keep up the great work. Health is about educating ones self and applying that which is learn. We appreciate you reaching out.

Have a Blessed Day,

Danny & Laura

Doug July 20, 2011 at 12:34 pm

Interesting list! I love Cajun food so I wonder if this means I should eat more fruits!?

JPS23 July 20, 2011 at 8:56 pm

That’s a lot of good information on how to change out diets. A lot of us are having these cravings without even realizing what it is that our bodies need. It’s time to change the diet, I think!

Amanda July 23, 2011 at 9:48 pm

I have to disagree with the doc on this one. In Chinese medicine one of the questions you ask your patients is what foods they crave. This is for a reason! I gives us a sense of that person and reveals a knowlege about their conditions. Once their condition is determined we also recommend types of food, along with Acupuncture and herbs to help that person achieve balance through out their body, to help them heal.
Loved the site Tamara

kristen July 27, 2011 at 10:14 am

heyyy!! well thank u for this amzing post i get cravings well cuz imma teenager so i eat alot and then i loose it fast and now i know what to eat when im craving thanks! and they are great cuzz i doo alot of sports and the foods are really healthyy so thank you veryy much for this post:)

Samantha August 2, 2011 at 9:22 pm

what you’re referring to is called specific appetite. humans do not have specific appetite as animals do. this post is inaccurate. if you crave chocolate, you probably just want chocolate.

KC Quaretti August 9, 2011 at 2:46 pm

Super interesting post! Found you stumbling and I’ll revisit often!

C. Abbott August 10, 2011 at 10:54 pm

It appears that some misunderstand that the foods listed would be expected to satisfy the craving; rather, the craving is a symptom that eating the foods listed might, when given time to be absorbed into the system, alleviate the cravings from happening in the first place. Eat what you crave, but when mealtime hits, try to incorporate the nutrition that you may lack so that the craving doesn’t keep happening.
I’ve heard about the magnesium in terms of chocolate cravings, and when I tell people they get a wry smile and tell me they really don’t care to do away with the cravings. The funny thing is, even if they’re up on their magnesium, they can still eat the chocolate by choice.
Perhaps these can’t be proven, but even if some were baseless, does it do any harm to try them? I doubt it. I think it’s great to have resources of information to consider besides potentially harmful drugs and pills when dealing with health issues.

Tatianna August 14, 2011 at 7:20 pm

This is a very informative information. I’ve never heard any of these things before.

Becky M August 15, 2011 at 4:51 pm

Thanks for the post. Stumbled upon it. I have known about the cheese for sweets for a while, and it works. I was surprised about the ice, cuz I craved it so badly when I was anemic. I have always loved burnt cheese toast. Very interesting. Although carbon may not be a necessary nutrient according to one of the posted comments, if our bodies are made of so much carbon, there might be a valid connection. I think our bodies tell us much if we just listen. Yes, sometimes you do just WANT some chocolate, but that’s no reason to discredit healthy alternatives. Really, thank you for the list. I plan to use it as a grocery list and wean myself from the processed, unhealthily to the natural, healthy alternatives.

Jethro August 15, 2011 at 5:50 pm

nothin better than potatoes!!

Vivian - vxdollface August 21, 2011 at 2:41 am

Great list! Thanks for sharing, that’s so useful favourited to keep it handy!

MaxieatSophia August 29, 2011 at 1:19 pm

Hi there, I was really interested in your list, and can identify some things I’ve already seen in practice, eg the ice craving and iron. You can always find reasons to accept or dismiss this kind of thing. My philosophy is to give it a try and see what works. If someone has a craving, it is usually a combination of biochemical addiction, emotional association and neurological triggers – finding the reason for the craving might be like looking for a needle in a haystack, so I go for the experiential approach.

I have a book I bought in the 1990s when I was training as a homeopath which describes macrobiotic food. I don’t particularly advocate any one ‘diet’ over another, but I am interested in some of the philosophies behind diets. The book, I think by Edward Woodward (an actor from the 1970s with a strong interest in macrobiotics, think he died very recently), talks about balance. And this is very interesting… He says that foods lies on a spectrum from the yin to the yang, from one extreme to the other extreme. He mapped out various food groups on this spectrum. At the yin end were drugs, chemicals, sugar, yeast, which all leave you feeling ‘spaced out’ (or gassed!)(eg E numbers!), and at the yang end were salt, meat, fermented foods and cheese, then to a lesser extent eggs. Tropical fruits were towards the yin end, and right in the middle were whole grains and vegetables. This theory also works with the way food is processed – raw food is more yin and cooked food is more yang. I worked with this theory for quite a while (but didn’t go macrobiotic). What I noticed in my own body was that when I had something at the extreme, eg alcohol, I craved something salty. It was as if my body was pulling me towards balance. It makes sense of the alcohol and salted peanuts combination in pubs! And if you think about processed foods like salted potato crisps (especially prawn cocktail ones!) where there is a sweet taste with a salty taste, it’s as if your body doesn’t know when to say no and keeps eating to try to get balance, but it never gets there! Maybe that is why people keep eating ready meals that are loaded with both sweet (corn syrup) and salty (meat) tastes and end up being obese. The best place for your body to be is in a place of balance where you consistently eat whole grain foods like whole wheat bread (although yeast is extremely yin! – best with soda bread and no yeast!), lentils, beans and vegetables, with only a small amount of extreme yin or yang foods. Boring, maybe, but our bodies are always telling us when we need balance – we just learned to override the messages at an early age. Babies often have their tastebuds perverted during weaning with processed foods. It’s great that lots of brands now have low salt, low sugar etc, but there is a long way to go. We haven’t done ourselves any favors here in the west by offering children their own menus in restaurants – pizza, fried breaded chicken nuggets, spare ribs, orange squash – we are feeding them a completely unbalanced diet that triggers a cry for more of the opposite . We would probably all do very well health-wise on a balanced, middle of the spectrum diet and our cravings might diminish. Who knows. I guess the only way to find out is by trial and experimentation, as we all individually process our foods differently according to our own metabolism.

Don’t know if this helps the debate or not!

And by the way, I’m a new stumbler and this was the first thing I stumbled upon!

sandy gomez August 30, 2011 at 7:20 am

Well, I just joined Stumble and this is the first thing I came upon. Tamara you have started a very interesting discussion…LOL!!! Right or wrong I agree with some of the readers…inform yourself if the topic interest you. Tamara didn’t post this as the end all be all, or for anyone to follow every word blindly like a Lemming. She didn’t claim to be Jack LaLane or Jonas Saulk..lol!! That’s part of today’s society problem. People like what they hear; they believe it full blown, hate what they hear they hate it to the hilt….never once knowing the full details of the topic they love, hate. I workout pretty consistently, but still have ‘cravings’ for stuff and have found some of Tamara’s list to be true for me. I have found it very effective to curb a strong desire for sweets by eating grapes. Curbing a desire for salt has been more of a struggle. I generally don’t use salt at all so when a craving hits I have found it difficult to find a good substitute; so it becomes a will power struggle which I am getting better at. Bottom line is people you gotta read and inform yourself on any topic you agree or disagree with. Be it from holy manuscripts to Kim Kardashian’s wedding plans Keep posting Tamara, if this is the kind of stuff Stumble is going to send my way, I’ll keep checking in!!!

tamara August 30, 2011 at 8:03 pm: Thank you Sandy~ welcome. I found it and thought it was very interesting. Just a small part of what I blog about but it did make me chuckle to see the responses! I wish something like “maybe we need to give our men a break” or “when life blows up in 30 days” would get stumbled like this one with that number of hits! Thanks for being here.

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Crystal Lee September 6, 2011 at 12:04 pm

This is a great chart! I have found when I crave sweets that fruit or 1 t of peanut butter will curb it quick. I am cooking with Stevia more and it has really help with the sugar cravings since I am not eating any processed sugars. Thanks for the post!

Crystal Lee
Tilapia Po Boy Recipe

Hannah September 7, 2011 at 4:08 am

Hi,

I think this is a great chart, my only query is that I eat a HUGE amount of fruit, and I do eat raw nuts and seeds also – but I am almost always craving chocolate so I am not sure this chart is full-proof… or maybe I am just a chocoholic podge.

Thanks

Shia September 8, 2011 at 11:03 am

Thank you for this. Recently I started keeping track of my craving in an effort to overcome them. I am def going to try supplementing my cravings for the items you have listed! Great post!

I found you on Stumbleupon…new to it.

worldaccordingtoshia.blogspot.com

Shia

esbe September 19, 2011 at 6:32 pm

basically, nuts.

I’m a vegetarian, so I’ll keep more on hand for snacking.

buddhi September 21, 2011 at 7:46 am

good post i should consider about eating it.

Leanne Apthorpe October 20, 2011 at 8:16 pm

I was very interested in this article.
I think that the body needs nutritional foods and they are much better for you than others but they are also necessary as well to counteract the effects of the mind.
At different times as well, junk foods are necessary.

Kim October 21, 2011 at 12:30 am

About a month ago I craved chocolate and found out that I was very low on magnesium. Very interesting.

Kay Harrington October 24, 2011 at 6:17 pm

I love this article. I can’t say I agree with all of it (especially the chicken liver etc), but the one thing it has achieved is lots of comments. Which means it’s got people thinking and talking about their thoughts. That’s a huge step in the right direction – at least it will make us think before we mindlessly eat whatever we happen to fancy at the time. The water comment was so true – if you do nothing else, increase your water intake and see how much healthier you feel! This site is definitely one of my better stumbles.

Vic S Paragas November 3, 2011 at 3:08 am

Very good posting…it is really a very good health tips..

Martha November 5, 2011 at 12:57 pm

Well there seems to be a lot of arguing whether the information is true or valid etc. All I know from myself is the better I eat the less I crave less desirable foods stuffs or if I do crave them I have the will power to resist temptation because I know how yucky they are going to make me feel. And just as a side note: when I stop drinking coffee I tend to crave chocolate because my body is looking for caffeine which chocolate has. Anyway folks, the bottom line is try to eat as healthy as you can. I think it was Hippocrates that said “Food is medicine.” When I took nutrition in college it was pointed out that the ten top diseases plaguing modern man are nutrition and lifestyle related.

Waco Merchant November 8, 2011 at 9:06 am

Funny how our bodies crave certain things seeking the nutrients our body needs… Whether this information is right or wrong I’m all about eating healthier and if it cures the crave and satisfies me, then its just another step in the right direction.

Gain Energy November 9, 2011 at 8:22 pm

How I love those tips sooooo much!! I have just lost a lot of weight and my weakness is sweets after every meal. This will definitely help! My husband always drink water with fresh lemon (he put both in vitamix) and tells me I need to drink them more often! I see on your post about this! Awesome! I will bookmark this! Thanks so much for sharing!

Cecilia Rodriguez November 15, 2011 at 1:18 pm

Always a good idea to listen to your body and see what it needs. Am posting a link to this article. From an ayurvedic perspective, here are some other ideas about digestion as well as its connection to mental and physical well-being

http://www.energyofmindtherapy.com/body-mind-connection/agni-digestive-power-key-to-health-and-happiness/

Hitherandyon November 17, 2011 at 12:21 pm

Excellent information, will share it! (the chocolate vs magnesium correlation is fascinating)
Aloha

Amanda November 22, 2011 at 6:27 am

Tamara,

At the top of this page you have a list of cravings and substitutions. I am wondering where you came across that information? I am also researching and helping individuals obtain superior health and wellness while addressing environmental issues.

Thank You,
Amanda at the Kafe

Amanda November 22, 2011 at 6:30 am: Hi Again,

I see you have a couple references available under your link. You can disregard the previous question submission. Thanks!

Reply
tamara November 22, 2011 at 9:33 am: Hi Amanda, Thank you for writing. This was not my article but a repost. See the bottom for the details. Best to you~T

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Denice Moffat November 22, 2011 at 1:05 pm

Well this seems controversial! But in MY practice when people tell me their cravings they muscle test usually as having some kind of deficiency. When that deficiency is repaired the craving goes away. No scientific studies but DUH! I believe there IS a reason why people are craving certain foods. A mentor of mine told me once that a craving can mean a nutritional deficiency or an allergy to the substance. Of course common sense should be used here. Here’s another list from No More Cravings (c) 1987 by Douglas Hunt M.D.: http://naturalhealthtechniques.com/diet_nutritionfood_cravings.htm

Louella November 29, 2011 at 10:52 am

Thank you … this is an awesome blog! I have learned to listen to my bodies cravings and it makes such a difference in my life~ when I give my body what it is craving, I can get on with my day and be more productive in everything that I do!
Thanks again and have a great day!
~louella

Always Sick Chick November 29, 2011 at 11:01 pm

Wow! This is gold. I’m particularly intrigued by the Tobacco cravings and how they can possibly be alleviated by having certain healthy foods. What about nicotine addiction, though? Hmm…anyway, I will have to look into these. Thanks for the info!

Nicalena December 1, 2011 at 9:16 pm

This is a great post!!!! Definitely needed on my part!!!

Sadio10 December 2, 2011 at 11:43 am

Great post, thanks . I will try to print this out to keep

Rhonda December 3, 2011 at 6:39 am

WOW! I love this, this is so full of good information…excellent news! Being a Vegan, this sure helps…..with sometimes “why do I crave”…thanks!

frugal hausfrau December 11, 2011 at 10:20 pm

I made an earlier comment about vitamin d and milk cravings, but I also wanted to mention I craved lobster with my first pregnancy. Of course, being young and starting out, and on a budget there was no way I could afford very much of that! It was constant craving, sometimes consuming my every thought; it went on for months and months. I literally thought I was nuts. One day I opened my cupboard, and happened to see a can of tuna – I opened it up, drained it and ate it standing right there at the kitchen sink with a fork out of the can – and lo and behold, the craving for lobster dissapeared. I’m assuming that whatever it was that was in the lobster that made me crave it so was also in the tuna fish – maybe salt, maybe some trace vitamin, mineral or enzyme – but fortunately (or unfortunately) the craving for lobster was kept at bay with plain old canned tuna. I, for one, believe we often crave what we need.

Sean Morgans Health December 16, 2011 at 11:24 am

Good post. Thanks! Will be recommending to my clients

Len M. Pope December 21, 2011 at 12:46 am

The science is constantly evolving. Read everything I can. Nutrify (I hope that’s an actual word) my body appropriately/responsibly/intelligently. Read some more. Then read some more. And then some more. Your information makes a thoughtful contribution. Thanx.

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:33 pm: i love the word nutrify. accurate or not~let’s run with it. Thank you for reading and for being here.

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rebecca December 26, 2011 at 5:30 am

I certainly do believe this… I craved ice when I was pregnant… Turned out I was serverly iron deficiant, almost needing a blood transfusion. Thankfully I didnt need one but now I know that when I crave ice… I need to do something about it!

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:32 pm: amazing isn’t it? Thank you for writing and confirming your experience. I’m always so surprised to read things like this and think back on my own cravings realizing, wow~that’s actually true.

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Beth A Iverson December 27, 2011 at 8:51 am

Great article. Found you with Stumble Upon.

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:30 pm: Thank you Beth. Glad you found me. Happy New Year.

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Swapan Chakraborty December 29, 2011 at 11:07 pm

Valuable post. It is helpful for us.

GiGi Eats Celebrities December 31, 2011 at 3:42 pm

Clearly I want some more leafy greens in my life! ha ha ha.

http://gigieatscelebrities.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/predictions/

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:30 pm: lol

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clytze January 1, 2012 at 7:43 am

it’s very interesting and useful,I learned many names of food,thx for sharing and happy new year’s to you~:)

Turenne January 3, 2012 at 9:36 am

I got here through Stumble Upon. Really neat information…

tamara January 3, 2012 at 12:28 pm: welcome!

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Sumiko Braun January 10, 2012 at 4:01 pm

I stumbled across this article and love it! Though a few of my cravings aren’t addressed here… I crave olives and pickles on occasion. I’m wondering what my body could be missing in having those cravings…

Bruce January 12, 2012 at 7:24 am

Found you via Stumbleupon – and I rarely use SU!

Interesting post. I ‘m not sure I buy if I want some toast what I really want is protein?! Seems pretty much the polar opposite to me

tamara January 12, 2012 at 1:35 pm: Hi Bruce, glad you found me! Welcome.
I think what they really mean is that when we’re craving carbs~and we’ve all had that feeling of “oh my gosh i need something white and crunchy right now”~our body is really wanting protein. When we crave empty calories it’s because our body is seeking nutrients and isn’t satisfied with what we’ve given it. Just my take. I found the chart interesting.

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ovhenderson January 12, 2012 at 3:46 pm

What if you you’re taking a 1-a-day multi-vitamin? Would you still be craving in addition to that? Interesting list, but I’m not sure how it was derived.

RuthLee@bloggingwithlee.com January 21, 2012 at 9:21 pm

Hi Tamara, thanks a lot for this publication, although maybe Dr. Clark can have his reasons to contradict the information, I also have experienced cravings that make perfect sense with the information you provided.
Keep up the great job!
Ruth

Kalee January 23, 2012 at 6:50 pm

Such a cool post! I always wonder why I am craving something salty or ice cream…now I know (and don’t have to be a pig! lol!) :p

Roger January 24, 2012 at 11:20 am

I enjoyed reading the posts above and one thread keeps coming up, and that nutrition has a big part of our health, and may I add another word- antioxidants. According to the CDC,the level of antioxidants in our bodies is in direct relation to our life-span.And another important factor is stabilizing our sugar. I recently had a bio-scan done, and the results were impressive, with no bacteria,viruses or harmful toxins present, nor have I been ill for almost 2 years. I attest these results from consuming products from monavie.com, and never felt better. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact me. Our bodies need the proper nutrition, and giving, will help our bodies heal itself.

tamara September 28, 2011 at 6:29 pm

hmm, i’m betting you’ve never been pregnant have you Sir?

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