Who hasn’t experienced the overwhelming desire to eat something specific, whether it be chocolate, potato chips, a burger, or some other food? We’ve all experienced cravings, but we should be careful about the way in which we satisfy them. Cravings are not the same as hunger, in fact they couldn't be more different! Hunger is controlled by the stomach, but Cravings are controlled by the brain. Hunger is all about survival, but cravings are about your body communicating with you.
By understanding what your body is actually deficient in you can get to the root cause of the cravings, and eventually kick them all together.
There are numerous possible meanings of cravings, depending on the type of craving and your eating habits. Before you satisfy cravings, drink a tall glass of pure water. Quite often we misinterpret our body’s signal for thirst as a signal of hunger. Some experts estimate that up to 80 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated, so start with water before you try to decipher your cravings.
| Craving this: | Reason is: | Restore with this: |
| COMMON FOOD | ||
| Cheese | Essential Fatty Acids deficiency | Omega 3′s (EPA and DHA)- Flax oil, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts |
| Calcium deficiency | Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens Calcium supplementation | |
| Pasta, white bread, pastries | Chromium deficiency | Onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, cinnamon, grapes, apples, sweet potato Chromium supplementation |
| Bread and toast | Nitrogen deficiency | Foods containing proteins, i.e.. Green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains |
| Red meat | Iron deficiency | Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C Iron |
| Popcorn | Stress hormone fluctuations | Meditation, breathing exercises, exercise, leafy greens, vitamin B and Vitamin C , Adrenal Support |
| Crisps | Chloride deficiency | Celery, olives, tomato, kelp, Himalayan sea salt |
| Essential Fatty Acids deficiency | Omega 3′s (EPA and DHA)- Flax oil, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts | |
| FLAVOR | ||
| Burned Food | Carbon deficiency | Fresh fruits |
| Acid foods | Magnesium deficiency | Raw cacao nibs/beans/powder, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, greens, fruit, Magnesium supplements |
| Salty Foods | Chloride deficiency | Celery, olives, tomato, kelp, Himalayan sea salt |
| Stress hormone fluctuations | Meditation, breathing exercises, exercise, leafy greens, vitamin B and vitamin C | |
| SWEETS | ||
| Chocolate | Magnesium deficiency | Raw cacao nibs/beans/powder, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, greens, fruit,magnesium |
| Soda, fizzy drinks | Calcium deficiency | Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens Calcium supplementation |
| General sweets | Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) | Fruit, high fibre foods (beans, legumes), complex carbs (grains), chromium (cinnamon) |
| Tryptophan deficiency | Spirulina, pumpkin/sesame/sunflower seeds, raw cacao, oatmeal, sweet potato, spinach, raisins, Tryptophan | |
| Chromium deficiency | Onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, cinnamon, grapes, apples, sweet potato Chromium | |
| Sulphur deficiency | Cruciferous vege (kale, cabbage, etc), cranberries, horseradish, asparagus, carob powder, garlic, onion | |
| Phosphorus deficiency | Whole grains, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, lentils | |
| STIMULANTS | ||
| Coffee or black tea | Sulphur deficiency | Cruciferous vege (kale, cabbage, etc), cranberries, horseradish, asparagus, carob powder, garlic, onion |
| Iron deficiency | Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C Iron | |
| NaCl (salt) deficiency | Himalayan or Aztecan sea salt, Apple Cider vinegar, kombucha | |
| Phosphorous deficiency | Whole grains, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, lentils | |
| Alcohol, recreational drugs | Calcium deficiency | Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens Calcium |
| Glutamine deficiency | Cabbage, beetroot, beans, spinach, parsley, vegetable juice Glutamine | |
| Protein deficiency | Green leafy vegetable, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, beans Protein Powder | |
| Potassium deficiency | Citrus fruits, bitter green leafy veg, banana, tomato, pineapple, black olives, seaweeds Potassium supplement | |
| Avenin deficiency | Oatmeal, granola, cereals, whole grains | |
| Tobacco | Silicon deficiency | Horsetail herb, nuts, seeds, oats, millet, barley, onions, whole wheat, beetroot. Avoid refined starches |
| Tyrosine deficiency | Fruits (esp. avocado and banana), whole grains, oats, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, Vitamin C Tyrosine | |
| EATING HABITS | ||
| Lack of appetite | Chloride deficiency | Celery, olives, tomato, kelp, Himalayan or Aztecan sea salt |
| Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency | Whole grains, peanuts, seeds, beans, green and yellow vegetables B-Complex | |
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) deficiency | Peanuts, sunflower seeds, wheat bran and wheat germ | |
| Manganese deficiency | Walnuts, almonds, pecans, whole grains, green leafy veges, pineapple, blueberries Niacin Manganese | |
| Often overeating | Tryptophan deficiency | Spirulina, pumpkin/sesame/sunflower seeds, raw cacao, oatmeal, sweet potato, spinach, raisins Tryptophan |
| Tyrosine deficiency | Fruits (esp. Avocado and banana), whole grains, oats, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, Vitamin C Tyrosine | |
| Silicon deficiency | Horsetail herb, nuts, seeds, oats, millet, barley, onions, whole wheat, beetroot. Avoid refined starches | |
| Often snacky | No balanced diet, missing nutrients | Do a detox, substitute junk food for healthy meals |
| MORE BIZARRE | ||
| Crunching on ice | Iron deficiency | Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C Iron |
| Laundry starch | Iron deficiency | Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C Iron |
| Cigarette butts | Iron deficiency | Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C Iron |
