Contents:
- Medical Video: What Causes Food Cravings?
- What causes food cravings when not pregnant?
- 1. Your mood and mood
- 2. The body lacks certain nutrients
- Food cravings don't always have to be fulfilled
- How to overcome excessive cravings?
Medical Video: What Causes Food Cravings?
Have you ever suddenly wanted a certain food until you were willing to go to a location far enough just to get it? It feels like cravings, doesn't it? Even though you are not pregnant. A survey even managed to reveal that, almost 91 percent of women, experienced this excessive cravings.
Cravings or also known as food craving is a condition where you really want to eat certain foods. This condition can occur even if you are not pregnant and not even fully hungry. Here are some other facts about this cravings.
What causes food cravings when not pregnant?
1. Your mood and mood
Dopamine is a compound that can make you feel comfortable and happy. According to a nutritionist, Jaime Mass, when you find a certain food that can make your body release dopamine, your brain will send a signal to the body to want the food in each of the same conditions.
This condition is supported by Adam Drewnowski, who says that being in an unpleasant condition, or even a condition that can make you feel depressed, will further trigger your need for certain types of food. Some will eat spicy food every time they feel sad, or eat chocolate every time they feel upset, for example.
Similarly, a survey conducted by Wansink, which revealed that out of 1,000 participants, 86 percent of them would crave specific foods when feeling happy, 52 percent when they feel bored, and 39 percent when they feel sad or lonely.
2. The body lacks certain nutrients
When you crave certain foods, it might be because your body lacks certain nutrients, such as:
- When you want sweet foodsYour body may experience fluctuations in blood sugar. However, responding to this condition by eating something sweet will actually cause your body to want these sweets more and more.
- When you want salty foodthis can mean that the adrenal gland (the gland above your kidney and releasing the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline) is under pressure. Instead of overcoming it by eating salty foods, based on research conducted by the University of Utah, meditating or deep breathing can actually reduce 25 percent of these stress hormones.
Food cravings don't always have to be fulfilled
Although the impression is trivial, cravings that are allowed to drag on can develop into a food addiction. Not only alcohol, food addiction can also be dangerous for you. A condition called food addiction, if symptoms are followed:
- You often want the food later, even when you have just eaten (still in full condition). Especially if you eat the food once, you can't stop eating it.
- You feel guilty about eating the food, but you still can't help eating it again.
- You begin to look for excuses so that you eat food that makes you crave it excessively.
- You hide your fondness for food that makes you crave this from the people around you.
How to overcome excessive cravings?
- An expert in eating disorders, Cynthia Bulik, recommends listening to music or even making a playlist every time the mood is unhappy or under pressure, or when you start feeling like you want certain foods that are usually able to improve that mood.
- A nutritionist, Kathy McManu, says that refraining from eating certain foods will further increase your desire to eat these foods. Instead of you struggling to refrain from eating the food, it's better to keep eating it but reduce its portion.
- Having less sleep and unhealthy eating habits, such as snacking every time watching TV, can also trigger cravings. It's best to stay away from the source of temptation, by not sitting near the kitchen while watching TV, for example.
