Those crafty cravings and what they can mean!

Crafty cravings and what they mean

You know that feeling when you have been trying to clean up your diet and then you suddenly get an attack of munchies for a certain type of food.  This is your body crying out for vital nutients/minerals that it just isn't getting.  But that doesn't mean we should give into the cravings, just improve our diet and where appropriate use supplements.

Crave Chocolate
Chocolate is rich in magnesium so strong cravings could indicate a deficiency in this mineral.It's probably one of the most commonly craved food, particularly "around the time of the month" due to an increased demand by the body systems during the 2nd half of your menstrual cycle. If you’re a chocoholic and suffer from PMS symptoms such as irritability, headaches, cramps and bloating, it may be worth trying a magnesium supplement, such as Natures sunshine Magnesium (90 capsules, £11.95).

Eat Nuts are actually a richer source, particularly Brazils. Leafy green veg are also good, as are brown rice,  and pumpkin seeds — though not quite so moreish.

TRY: If it has to be chocolate, opt for dark chocolate that contains at least 75 per cent cocoa, as this will contain more magnesium and less sugar.

‘Drinking too much alcohol, tea, coffee and fizzy drinks can also deplete levels of magnesium,’

Crave Bread And butter
Usually lacking in the essential fats, often as a result of the "low fat diet" approach. Essential fats are well...essential for weight management, fluid levels, skin/hair/mail health, hormone balance to name but a few.  Every cell in the body needs essential fats to keep healthy.

Eat   oily fish, nuts, avocados, seeds, particularly flax/linseeds.

Here are a few more common ones, what could be lacking and foods to include to top up! 

Crave Cheese,  EFA, calcium
Eat  oily fish, nuts,seeds as above and green leafy veg, broccoli, kale, legumes, sesame seeds/tahini


Crave Red Meat, iron
Eat Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C rich foods for iron absorption

Crave Crisps/salty foods,  ChlorideEat fish, celery, olives, tomatoes

Crave Pasta, pastries, white bread, ChromiumEat, onion, apples, sweet potato, grapes, cinnamon, romaine lettuce and tomatoes

Crave fizzy drinks, calciumEat green leafy veg, brocolli, kale, legumes, sesame seeds/tahini

Crave coffee/stimulants,  phosphorous, sulphur and ironEat Whole grains, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, lentils Green leafy veg, broccoli, kale, legumes, sesame seeds/tahiniBeans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C rich foods for iron absorption.



Hope this helps, it pays to listen to what your body needs and fill it with the best food source rather than giving in to those cravings that are often full of sugar, toxins etc and which generally only make things worse in the long run.

It is also important to recognise that minerals and vitamins work together so I tend not to supplement singularly (except in  the case of magnesium, b vits and c occasionally) dependent on what lifestyle factors are involved.  always aim to eat a balanced diet, foods first, supplement to fill any gaps.

My go to is a daily multi vit/mineral which provides 100% RDA for most vits and minerals.  As I've said before not all supplements are created equal and you do get what you pay for. I use natures sunshine products which you can find out about here

Fats - the good, the bad and the ugly!!

So fat is not so bad after all!  I just wish it was known by another name as we instantly assosiate it with the wobbly stuff around our hips, bums and tums that we work so hard at to shift!

The thing is, just as we have seen with carbohydrates, not all fats are created equal. Good fats  help keep you slim, keep your skin healthy, fill you up and carry the essential fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K into your body.  These types of fat are known as the  unsaturated fats and contain a group, essential fatty acids, which as their name suggests, the body cannot do without!

You've probably heard of omega 3 and omega 6 and these are essential  for practically every  system in your body, amongst other things they help

• control blood cholesterol and fat levels
• improve immune function
• Reduce inflammation
• Maintain water balance
• Good eye health
• Proper brain and nerve function

They are found in  nuts, seeds, oils, meat, fish, seafood and avocados, many of the foods which have traditionally been avoided when trying to drop a few pounds.

Next we have the saturated fat, usually solid at room temperature and from animal source - apart from coconut and palm oil. Coconut oil is now seen as a health food due to the make up of the fatty acids but more about that next time!

Our bodies have no real need for saturated fat and it is too much of this that is linked with a higher risk of heart disease, a rise in bad cholesterol levels and obesity.  Found in biscuits, cake, ice cream, full fat dairy, meat, meat products, cheese etc. It's a case of moderation and choosing the good natural stuff, lean cuts of meat, no skin on poultry etc etc.

By far the worst kind of fat is the dreaded Trans Fat or hydrogenated oils.  This is a cheap oil which has hydrogen pumped through it to produce a firmer end product. Often found in margarines,  ready meals, biscuits, cakes , in fact most processed foods that have a long shelf life. If you see anything that has hydrogenated vegetable/partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or fat as a listed ingredient, best to leave it on the shelf.

So remember good fats do not make us fat, its the high sugar or highly processed trans fats that do that.  Eat Simple natural, unrefined foods for all round good health.

The Glycaemic index explained

Lots of confusion surrounds the G.I which is simply a ranking of carbohydrate foods based on their overall effect on blood sugar levels.

                                     


As we know it is important to keep our blood sugar (glucose) levels steady throughout the day and choosing meals and snacks based on lower G.I foods can help us do this.

Foods are based on a scale of 1 - 100 according to the extent at which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.  Foods with a high G.I are those which are rapidly absorbed and result in exaggerated swings in blood sugar.  Low G.I foods produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, are slowly digested and keep you feeling full longer.  The reference foods are glucose or white bread which have a score of 100 (a reason why that white bread jam sandwich is a no no)!

Low ranges are 0-55
Medium            56-59
High                  70+

Find out more by clicking here

The Glycemic Index of Foods - American Diabetes Association 

The trouble is you can't rely on the G.I alone to tell you if a food is healthy or not.  For example an ice - cream or mars bar will have a lower G.I rating than a baked potato because they release their sugar more slowly BUT this is because fat or protein slows down the release of sugar from food, so unhealthy high fat foods often score low on G.I.  So if you are thinking of using the G.I you need to think of the whole meal you are eating, not just one food.  A high G.I baked potato becomes healthier with the addition of some protein, healthy fat or fibre such as chicken breast and steamed vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil.

Another quick way to work out possible effects on your blood sugar is to think how refined a food is.  If it contains lots of sugar, salt, preservatives or additives it will upset your blood sugar levels and cause symptoms such as headaches, weight gain, tiredness and mood swings. Real  food is not meant to keep for a long time, is usually either full of protein, fibre/bulk to satisfy our hunger and keep us feeling full for longer. Think about eating a large plate of vegetables with say a chicken breast.  Once you have eaten it you will feel full and wouldn't want to be constantly eating more and more of it.  Now consider say, pizzas, crisps, "low fat but high sugar" snacks and meals, you can keep overeating these types of food without ever really feeling satisfied because of the effect on your blood sugar that they create.

The more simple the make up of food the better so sticking to lean protein, vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds and wholegrain such as oats, quinoa and rye will keep you on the right track to achieving steady blood sugar levels, weight management and good health.