Decoding Food Cravings: What Do They Mean And Your Clean Eating Cheat Sheet

At some point in life, we have felt a strong urge to have our favorite food or something that makes us feel delighted. Yes! That is what craving is. Food cravings are generally the body’s demands for certain types of foods, mainly processed and fatty foods containing a lot of sugar and salt. These craving periods can come to pass when we are stressed, or when the body is feeling a deficit of some nutrients, even when there is a hormonal imbalance. These foods give us a sense of pleasure and elevate our mood because the salt and sugar in them release endorphins that obviously make us happy.

Decoding Food Cravings
Food cravings can be of different types, one that our body demands because it is deprived of those particular nutrients or the one which our soul demands because it is deprived of those flavors or more sensibly, pleasure. Simple, right? But scientifically, it is the way the body tells you about its needs, also in times of distress. With all the processed and addictive foods around us, we feel that this is what the body is asking for, whereas it is just asking you to give the essential nutrients through a balanced diet or a clean eating swap.

Here Is Your Clean Eating Cheat Sheet:
Firstly, a clean eating sheet is just a list of food items that you can have in place of processed fatty and sugary foods, that will satisfy your cravings.

• Whenever the body is craving chocolate, this means that it is feeling stressed and is deprived of magnesium. So, instead of chocolate, you can go for healthy fats like nuts, avocado, seeds, or even dark chocolate is a healthier option for that matter.
• If the brain is signaling you to processed desserts like cakes and pastries, then it must be telling you the body needs an energy rush through a lot of calories and it is also deprived of potassium. Opt for potassium-rich foods like bananas and for the energy you must have carbs like rice and sweet potato.
• Whenever you feel like having chips or something fried and crunchy, simply remind yourself to hydrate. Drink water and see how you feel. You can also have fruits that contain a lot of water, and crunchy vegetables with some salt, for the crunch.

For the most part, the body is asking you to feed it the required nutrients and not something processed or sugary, because, remember all these sugary foods cause inflammation in the body. And that would lead to many undesired ailments. Make healthier choices and swap your chips and chocolates with water and veggies. Sometimes, there is a hormonal imbalance in the body which comes out in the form of cravings, due to blood sugar fluctuation. You must check that with your doctor if the cravings continue.

Over To You:
Food carvings are just a way of the body telling you to feed it more. But only the good and not the processed. In these periods of craving, eat clean, eat healthily and see how your brain and body thank you.