It's about 3:00pm, lunchtime is over at the cafeteria, and you are craving something sweet. It is nearly impossible to concentrate on your work because all you can think about is the sweet craving taking over your brain! At this point, what are your options? A quick run to starbucks for a venti mochachino, a snickers bar from the vending machine, or a piece of leftover birthday cake from your co-workers birthday party; nothing good. Sure any of these things might satisfy your craving in the short term, but all of these will lead to more and more insatiable cravings.
It is possible to eliminate your cravings whether they are sweet, salty, cold, or crunchy by understanding why you are feeling this way. The craving itself is not the problem; it is a message from your body. Many people see cravings as a weakness or a lack of will power, but this is not the case. Your body is a remarkable bio-computer. Your heart never forgets to pump, your eyes don't stop blinking, and your lungs will always keep breathing. A message from your body is important. This is not something that is rationalized in your head it is a biological need for something that is missing. When you start to feel a craving stop and think for a moment before you inhale that chocolate chip cookie. What is your body really asking for?
Sweet Cravings. It is natural to crave something sweet. The biggest problem about this craving is the type of sweet food that is accessible to us everyday. The easiest things to grab are candy bars, cookies, doughnuts, etc. These items are made refined white sugar or high fructose corn syrup which are a couple of the least nutritious foods on the planet. When you eat one of these items your blood sugar spikes quickly giving you that instant sugar high followed by a crash, leaving your blood sugar lower then it was before your sweet treat. This crash will then trigger your next craving, contributing to the endless cycle. There are better alternatives to satiate a sweet craving as well as foods that will help to stop them in the first place.
A sugar craving is your body asking for energy from glucose. The rate at which the glucose enters the bloodstream depends on the type of carbohydrate simple or complex. Complex carbs enter the bloodstream more slowly and create long lasting energy as opposed to simple carbs like refined sugar. Examples of complex carbohydrates are whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, or quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). Some vegetables have sweet flavors when cooked like corn, carrots, onions, beets, squashes, and sweet potatoes. If you start to incorporate whole grains and sweet veggies into your diet on a regular basis they will help to curb your cravings for sugar. Your body is getting a lot of nutrients along with the sweet flavor and that also may be what your body is asking for by sending you the message of a sweet craving. If after making these two dietary upgrades, you still have a sugar craving, satisfy that urge with a natural sweetener like brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar or barley malt. Look for treats made with these sweeteners instead of refined white sugar. A nice piece of fruit is also a great way to satisfy a sweet craving without the crash.
Salt Cravings. Another common craving is the salt craving. This usually indicates that you have a mineral deficiency. Salt originates from the sea and natural unprocessed sea salt contains 60 different trace minerals. Most of the salt that we eat today on common snack foods is processed and refined and does not contain these minerals. Eating a bag of potato chips won't give your body the minerals that it is asking for by sending you a message with a salty craving. The best way to end your need for that salty taste is to eat a wider variety of vegetables especially leafy greens and sea vegetables that are high in minerals. You should also buy a high quality sea salt to use in your cooking. Look for any brand of celtic (pronounced kel-tick) sea salt in the health food store, it usually has a grey colored hue because it has not been processed or refined.
Bitter Cravings. The standard American diet doesn't contain any healthy bitter foods. This is a huge detriment because these foods are very nutrient dense and super healthy. Most people with satisfy their bitter craving with coffee or beer. Neither of which are considered to be healthy in large quantities. If you find yourself drinking a lot of coffee because of the taste you definitely need to incorporate more dark leafy greens into your diet. Foods like kale, collard greens, swiss chard, and spinach have tons of healthy vitamins and minerals and even aid in digestion.
Sweet, salty, and bitter cravings are probably the most common. You may also find yourself craving a pungent or spicy flavor or even a texture like moist or crispy. Regardless of the type of craving, try to deconstruct the meaning of the craving before shoveling down the most accessible food. This method will help to control and eventually eliminate those crazy 3:00pm cravings, that distract you from working. Before you know it you will have control over what and when you eat. Trust me, your boss and your body will thank you.