Cravings

I have heard cravings are your body's way of letting you know you need the food or the vitamins/ minerals in the food. I have also heard that craving foods can mean that you are addicted to them/have food allergies/intolerances.

I think you have to put this in perspective...if you are craving greens (kale, collards etc) or lemons, maybe your body needs a nutrient or various nutrients in those foods.

If you are craving cake/bread/potato chips what are you craving exactly??? Sometimes you actually crave these foods (your body needs salt or extra calories) and sometimes you are "craving" ( just wanting) them to satisfy a void in your life or boredom or loneliness or stress eating. Soemtimes eating a certain food can just become a bad habit... you just eat it because it's there and you ALWAYS have eaten it...

Sometimes you are craving wheat or dairy or eggs because your body has an allergy/intolerance to it, it makes you feel good for a time (like an addict on drugs) but then you crash again and crave the foods again. This becomes a vicious cycle (check the links below for more info on craving foods you're intolerant to and also the opioid like feelings created by eating wheat/gluten/dairy and soy).

http://www.suite101.com/content/reasons-a-gluten-free-diet-can-make-you-feel-worse-a230818

http://books.google.com/books?id=fjzFY4uUj34C&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=opioid+feelings+with+food+allergies/intolerances&source=bl&ots=MzRWT6Yyla&sig=f_yPjdPIh7XB-X2z-dTF6UaAatU&hl=en&ei=33c0TeevEIWclgeF0cy5CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t041800.asp (check out #6 at the bottom of the article)

http://www.thedietchannel.com/Healthy-Eating-7-Things-To-Know-About-Food-Cravings.htm

I will say the first bite of a potato chip from a bag tastes delicious...but eating the WHOLE BAG...by the end your taste buds aren't even enjoying them anymore.

Fat and salt and fat and sugar does tend to attract everyone, a creamy texture or a crunch tends to get lots of people too.

Do you eat mindlessly? Or do you REALLY enjoy the foods you are eating?

I have gotten into a couple of craving traps myself these days....one is Mocha Fudge Almond Soy
"ice cream" the other is potato chips.

I will try to add more interesting healthy foods into my day to "crowd out" the not so nutritious foods..and add more veggies and fruits. I like trying the intricate chef created macrobiotic or raw food dinners or desserts they are the most healthy AND the most tasty and have interesting textures and flavors.

Tried a great recipe for raw eggplant bacon strips over the weekend ...I'll post the recipe soon.