Fighting Food Cravings
How familiar is this scenario? It is 4 in the afternoon; your workday is almost over…your not really hungry, but like the day before, something salty or that piece of chocolate sounds really good! So you go to the nearest vending machine…make your selection, and there goes your effort to eat healthier this year!
Many people, especially women, experience sudden and irresistible food cravings for potato chips, cookies, ice cream and chocolate! Just what triggers these overpowering desires for certain foods? Even though cravings seem to overwhelm us without warning and without reason, research shows that they are really very predictable!
When your cravings hit you have probably noticed that your strongest food cravings occur at a certain time of the day or month. Most food cravings happen late in the day because that is often when our blood glucose levels drop, making us feel lethargic and needing a lift.
When you feel upset or stressed out…bad moods frequently give rise to food cravings. We say to ourselves, if we could just have that chocolate bar, we will feel better-and sometimes we do! Carbohydrates, especially sweet or starchy items, increase the secretion of the brain neurotransmitter, serotonin, which has a calming effect on the body.
It is that time of the month and you have a particular craving for chocolate or a carbohydrate rich food. Some researches state that women overeat carbohydrates in an attempt to raise the serotonin levels to counter the bad moods and mild depression related to PMS.
Psychological or social reasons can also influence the food cravings. Food cravings are often associated with happy times from the past. For instance, a summer-night family outing to your favorite ice cream parlor, a hot dog with all the fixings at the baseball game with Dad, or your special birthday dinner with friends.
One can manage food cravings if you know when a craving might strike. Be prepared…start the day with a healthy breakfast, have a sensible lunch and have a healthy snack in reach; so that, you will not falter!
Make sure that when you plan your meals and snacks that you include carbohydrates, protein and fat. You will feel better longer and have more energy throughout the day! Both protein and fat take longer to digest so that drop in blood glucose levels will be much slower…and you will feel satisfied longer. Try snacks like: raw veggies with cottage cheese; whole-wheat crackers with mozzarella string cheese; apple with peanut butter.
Do not buy snack foods like chips or cookies, choose healthier options like:
- Cut up veggies (radishes, celery, carrots, broccoli) dip in hummus
- Buy microwave light popcorn…sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top
- Grab some yogurt, add some fruit and sprinkle a crunchy cereal on top
Most importantly…give in sometimes! If your craving a certain food, denying yourself that food will only make the urge more intense. Allow yourself a small portion of the food you crave! Just remember to decide on the amount ahead of time so that you will not overindulge!