Where one person invariably gets hungry for a piece of chocolate after lunch, the other mainly grabs a savory snack. Does the urge for sweet or salty food say something about your health? And are there possible deeper causes?
By Anne van AsseldonkThe craving for sweet or salty foods could indicate shortages, dietician Anita Mulderij knows. “With a magnesium deficiency, the need for chocolate can increase. A client of mine always wanted broccoli and even dreamed about it. She was diagnosed with an iron deficiency.”
Yet it is often not so clear. In addition to a certain deficiency, there can be other causes of certain cravings, says health scientist Terry Schouten. She herself thinks that hormones play an important role. “If these are out of balance, for example due to illness, stress, irregular work or being overweight, your hunger hormones are often out of balance.”
Especially the hormones ghrelin, insulin and leptin influence what you feel like, how hungry you are and whether you are full. “People who have a lot of appetite or need for sweets would do well to reduce stress and pay attention to the quality of sleep,” advises Schouten. Sleep and stress affect hormone balance.
More in the mood for sweets for menstruation
“What I know about many women is that they need more carbohydrates and sweets in the last few days before menstruation. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can also make you reach for sweets,” says Mulderij. “Today we eat for different reasons than before, when the body was even more in tune with what it needs. I definitely believe that part of that mechanism is still active.”
“It’s great if you can listen to a need, respond to it and then become satiated, that gives your system peace of mind,” says Mulderij. “But don’t use it as an excuse to eat sugary things. If it becomes structural, you would do well to see what the cause of your need is.”
Drinking a lot of coffee and some medicines can also cause you to lose more salt and feel more like it.
Ironically, the cause of sugar cravings is often eating it. The fact that we love sugar is literally and figuratively spoon-fed. “Even breast milk is sweet. Fast sugars are quickly converted into energy. That makes sugar an easy source of energy,” explains Schouten. If your hormones are out of balance and you have a serotonin deficiency (for example due to stress or sleep deprivation), you can get more cravings for sweets.
Be especially aware of your diet, say Mulderij and Schouten. And avoid refined sugars as much as possible. If you choose products that naturally contain a lot of sugar, it is best to combine them with something rich in fiber.
Craving for salt can indicate disturbance
Interestingly, salt cravings can indicate underlying problems. Salt regulates the moisture balance. With exertion, a lot of sweating or if it is very hot, a fluid deficiency can occur. “That is the reason that many sports drinks also contain salts,” explains Schouten.
Cravings for salt can indicate a disturbance in electrolytes (the vitamin and mineral balance). In addition, a need for (extra) salt may arise during pregnancy or PMS. “Drinking a lot of coffee and some medicines can also cause you to lose more salt and feel like it more,” adds Mulderij.
Also make your dinner more nutritious by adding more slow carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats.
Mental hunger or emotional hunger, according to both experts, can make you want to sniff (both sweet and salty). Does that half bag of liquorice or chips always disappear in the evening? Then become aware of this habit and try to figure out the reason for it.
“Make your dinner more nutritious by adding more slow carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats,” advises Schouten. “Then you are less likely to get cravings.”
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