You have just eaten, are actually still a bit full and still feel incredibly hungry? Then we are talking about cravings. Especially for people who are on a diet or want to lose weight in other ways, cravings are the biggest opponent . Because with cravings, the desire for sweet, salty, or fatty foods is particularly strong. How can you recognize food cravings, and how can you effectively nip them in the bud? We'll explain this in today's blog post.
What are cravings?
Often, cravings are confused with hunger, but these two types of hunger are very different. Hunger has a simple but extremely important function: the body absorbs nutrients through food that provide it with energy.
The feeling of hunger is stimulated and regulated by highly complex mechanisms. Your brain is the control center that picks up and processes various signals of hunger from the body. In addition, there are certain receptors in the stomach that signal to the brain that it is empty and needs food.
Cravings, on the other hand, behave differently. It is the simple craving for certain foods, which in most cases are rather unhealthy. In many cases, they have a high calorie density and few nutrients, contain a lot of sugar, unhealthy fats, and don't really make you feel full.
Wouldn't it be crazy if you had cravings for healthy foods like porridge ? That would solve a lot of weight loss problems.
So the difference is pretty easy to explain – but how do cravings work and why do they come about?
Where do cravings come from?
There are many different triggers for cravings. From emotions such as sadness, boredom, or stress to influences from the environment, such as the smell of certain foods, can lead to a craving attack.
In the case of food cravings, people increasingly resort to carbohydrate-containing snacks, as these lead to increased serotonin levels. You feel better after consumption, but this feeling doesn't last long either. This is also why cravings are so dangerous – your body wants to maintain this serotonin rush and sends you the same signals again.
Habits are also an important factor. If you often take a chocolate bar in the morning, you will do the same on many other mornings. If you do not have chocolate or other snacks on hand, you will not get rid of the feeling of cravings.
What are the causes of cravings?
The causes of cravings can be divided into three categories: nutrition, physical causes, and psychological causes.
When eating, you should take care to avoid unhealthy snacks. They lead to an increase in blood sugar, as well as too many sweets. You should also avoid long food breaks. With recurring diets and an excessive calorie deficit, the possibility of cravings also increases. So that you know how many calories you should be eating and how to achieve your right calorie deficit, we have developed the Verival calorie calculator .
Physical causes can be pregnancy or breastfeeding. Diabetes mellitus is just as often responsible for food cravings. Hyperthyroidism can also be a trigger for tireless hunger. Metabolic diseases that affect the feeling of fullness are also an indicator of cravings.
Mental causes can include stress, depression, various eating disorders, or lack of sleep, as well as poor sleep quality. When we sleep, the hormone leptin, which normally regulates our feeling of fullness, is released. When you sleep, a large amount of leptin is released. So those who sleep little or poorly have less of a feeling of fullness and therefore have stronger cravings.
The physical process in the body in case of cravings
The process in your body is relatively easy to explain. You eat an unhealthy meal, and your blood sugar level rises quickly. After that, however, it also falls off just as quickly. This leads to a food craving attack. So begins a cycle between cravings, an unhealthy meal, and then cravings again. This should be avoided at all costs, as it can be quite uncomfortable in the long run.
So that you don't fall into the food cravings trap at breakfast, you should make sure that you eat healthily right from the first meal of the day. Many nutrients and fiber lead to a longer feeling of fullness, so you prevent cravings.
How to stop cravings!
Resisting cravings is difficult – each of us has struggled with it before. And so that you don't have to resist, you should take the right steps in advance to escape it. At best, you know where your cravings come from, so they can no longer surprise you.
Healthy eating is important in the fight against food cravings
The perfect basis for all kinds of concerns about your body is a healthy diet. If you eat healthy foods and the right nutrients, you make sure that you are not missing anything. This will actively prevent cravings. With complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins, you ensure that you are saturated for a long time and do not have to give in to cravings.
The food cravings multiplier: stress
Stress is not only a great burden on your body and mind. It can also hit your stomach relatively quickly. A little more time for yourself, a free weekend, exercise, and maybe 20 minutes a day without any distractions – so you can reduce stress and thus also the cravings.
Mindfulness while eating helps you against cravings
According to studies , concentrated and mindful eating is a very helpful tool for avoiding cravings. So if you're in the mood for something sweet, don't ban it every time. Make sure you really enjoy it, so you actively prevent cravings.
Sleeping is as important as eating
Duration and quality of sleep are very important to avoid cravings. Those who sleep poorly and little prevent the formation of the important satiety hormone leptin and thus have the unpleasant feeling of cravings right after getting up.
The best solution for cravings
Already in the morning, it is advantageous to start with the right nutrients. Breakfast is considered by many experts to be the most important meal of the day, and that is why you should urgently start the day healthy.
Porridge , for example, provides you with complex carbohydrates that fill your energy reserves in the body sustainably and for the whole day. In addition, porridge contains important nutrients and fiber that will sustainably satiate you.
Complex carbohydrates and proteins are an important part of the fight against cravings. Sporting activity or training is just as important as proper nutrition. Sleep, enough fluid, and regular food intake can also contribute their small or large part to a healthier life without food cravings.
The right breakfast can help you start the day healthy and avoid cravings. To help you do that, here are a few recipes with complex carbohydrates, proteins, and lots of nutrients:
Breakfast Recipe: Low-Calorie Weight Loss Porridge (Sugar-Free)
Ingredients
- 50 g oatmeal
- 1 pinch of salt
- 130 ml water
- To taste: Healthy toppings e.g. berries (such as blueberries), chia seeds, flax seeds, healthy oils, fresh fruits or dried fruits (such as unsweetened apricots or plums). Attention: dried fruits contain many calories.
Preparation
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Heat the water (for example, in a kettle).
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Put the oatmeal in a bowl with the pinch of salt.
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Pour the boiling water into the bowl.
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Stir the porridge well until it reaches a creamy consistency.
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Decorate it with your toppings.
Nutritional values
Recipe: Creamy Breakfast Shake
Ingredients
- 35 g breakfast shake
- ½ banana
- 200 ml (vegetable) milk
- 30 g yoghurt
- Strawberries
