A craving is an irrational desire for something. If you constantly need to consume a particular meal, it may be for no reason at all, or it could be a sign of another condition.
McKel Kooienga, the founder of Nutrition Stripped, attributes cravings for carbs to either not eating enough or not having enough proteins, fiber, and healthy fats to balance meals. According to him, underlying conditions affect blood sugar levels or mineral content of the body, which induce cravings.
Why has your body suddenly started craving carbs?
One of the main reasons you want something desperately is when it is forbidden to you. When we perceive carbohydrates as “bad” in our minds, the stress response triggers and makes us crave them.
When a person has low blood sugar levels, the body sends signals to refill the tanks with fuel. In other words, a decrease in blood glucose levels leads to more glucose demand.
Carbohydrates trigger serotonin release, which is responsible for giving you a happy and stress-free feeling. When there is a decline in serotonin, your mind goes into a stressed-out state and calls for serotonin release, thus indirectly calling for carbohydrates. The same goes for depressive conditions; the only antidote you seek out is a big bag of chips or a stack of chocolate-filled biscuits.
Also, when there is exertion and profuse sweating, it lowers your blood sugar levels. And so you feel a need to fill your tummy with unhealthy meals.
How to beat the cravings?
Your mind tends to feel the blues or hunger episodes in leisure, but if it is busy and having fun, it doesn’t divert much and juggles between pleasure and hunger, and in the end, you succeed in diverting your mind away from the urge for untimely eating.
Another crucial element is mindful eating. Make sure to eat slowly and enjoy each bite so that your mind is in tune with your stomach when it tells you to stop when it is satisfied. The desire for late-night snacks or one or two hefty scoops of ice cream is put off if a healthy dinner is consumed.
Physical activity keeps a lot of medical conditions at bay. It also keeps a check on your appetite. However, when you are committed to maintaining a healthy and fit physique, you try to avoid consuming extra calories.
Lack of food topples over your entire system. When you don’t get enough sleep, you feel the urge to eat a lot of food, mainly carbohydrates. So a night of good 8-hour sleep is the best and easiest treatment plan to subdue carb obsession.
Most of the time, what you perceive as hunger is actually dehydration. Fulfill your daily water requirement to avoid bouts of hunger.
Are all carbs the culprits?
All carbohydrates are not unhealthy. Whole grains and vegetables are good sources of good energy. They take a while to digest and thus give you a feeling of fullness for a longer time.
Starchy carbohydrates, like carrots, have fewer carbs than starchy ones like potatoes.
Be easy on yourself and plan out ways to preserve your health. Find healthy alternatives and savor them whenever you feel a craving. When you crave soda drinks, go for unsweetened beverages. You can substitute bread with bran bread. There is no place for compromise when it comes to your health.