Are cravings your body's way of telling you what it needs?

happyplodder

This afternoon even after a snack of cottage cheese, pear, celery and carrot I got the strong urge to eat some raw jumbo oats (probably about 30g I would say). Is this just mindless eating or was my body wanting more carbs? I probably have been eating fewer carbs this week as no longer at work where I kept oatcakes etc in my drawer whereas at home I can have things that need to be in fridge (like cottage cheese yum!). I didn't want any sugary carbs just plain old oats.

Booky

I'd have to say mindless eating I'm afraid! There's a strong body of evidence that there is no scientific basis for the old idea that the body tells us when it's deficient in something.

There are lots of reasons for seemingly random cravings - you probably just had a visit from the porridge fairy

Debra Bourne

I'm not so sure. After all, miners (sweating heavily all day down in the mines) are known for prefering the taste of their beer with salt in it - and I've noticed myself that salty foods taste better when I've had a hard run. Also: I used to have a diet very low in fats - never put margarine or butter on my bread, and so on (just didn't like it). Then I suddenly got a craving - lashings of marg, even butter (previously too rich) tasted good. Lasted about two months then tailed off. Deficiency of a fat-soluble vitamin or essantial fatty acid still sounds plausible to me.

happyplodder

It just seemed a very specific craving and when I looked back my carb intake had been lower so would explain it. I also sometimes have cravings for milk and yoghurt which might be the fat soluble vitamins (a,D) or calcium my body is asking for. I am sure I could resist but as it is healthy foods and I am underweight I don't feel I should. Maybe listening to our bodies instead of to specific 'rules' and ridiculous diet plans is what the problem is.

Soup Dragon

I think not.  Afterall, the body only craves for the food you've had experience of. We are also often told that thirst is not a good indicater of hydration status, so why doesn't the body crave fluid earlier? Sometimes a food might be more satisfying (such as salt after sweating) but that could easily be a learned experience. And how to do you account for chocolate craving? The body doesn't need that so I think although the theory is a nice one I'm not at all convinced.

Unknown

sarah the bookworm wrote (see)

There's a strong body of evidence that there is no scientific basis for the old idea that the body tells us when it's deficient in something.

That seems strange -- evolution would suggest that it should.

Can you point me towards any of that strong body of evidence?

[Deleted User]

my body is highly deficient in cake and beer it would seem

Stephen E Forde

I would guess we crave what we know satisfies us. What we have eaten before. If you have never eaten a food, seen another eat it or tell you its satisfying you cant crave it.

The body can show you it is malnourished or over nourished, you lose weight, your hair falls out, you gain weight, you have heart attack, but only through experience of the effects of different foods can you make a decision what to eat.

So I would suggest the craving you had for oats is a conscious decision based on your knowlege of oats, You like them, they satisfy you and you know they have benefits.

I went from being a vegatarian for 15 years to eating meat. When I was a vegatarian I didnt run I didnt cycle I didnt need the calories so I slowly stopped eating and wanting meat. I Now I run, and race and cycle every day so I need more protein than vegatables can provide. I want more to eat my body wants more to eat.

So yes my body was "telling me" what I needed but no it wasn't.

[Deleted User]

I strongly believe that my body (at least) craves what its lacking, I know this to be partly true at least because I have had to have regular blood tests and often have seen I am in low in a certain nutrient which I had later craved or craved but not eaten for whatever reason (normally around the dull arguement of calories).

I think there are some foods that many of us crave even though our bodies don't need them: read the book "an end to overeating" and you'll see why! But when it comes to things like craving dairy (calcium) red meat (iron or protein), green vegetables steamed (certain minerals and nutrients)..etc as long as I account for them, (eg don't go stuffing my face) I don't see it to be an issue and will try to adapt my food intake so I can eat them. I have often craved oats before and put this down to a need for carbs which could be for many things. Fatigue is one: if we feel tierd we often crave carbs because our bodies can think that low energy is due to low blood sugar and low glycogen rather then not enough sleep. (It can also be to low blood sugar and low glycogen though!) 

PSC

I'm another believer in the craving theory.  It's unreliable though as it doesn't tell you when to stop eating.  Which is probably why I can't shift a bit of weight.

Debra Bourne

Stephen: I just ran a 50K in five hours, and I've been vegetarian for 30 years - so much for "needing" meat to provide sufficient protein.

[Deleted User]

I went from being a vegatarian for 15 years to eating meat. When I was a vegatarian I didnt run I didnt cycle I didnt need the calories so I slowly stopped eating and wanting meat. I Now I run, and race and cycle every day so I need more protein than vegatables can provide. I want more to eat my body wants more to eat.

So yes my body was "telling me" what I needed but no it wasn't.

Interesting, I'm a long term veggie who has started craving meat since putting a bit more structure into my training a couple of years ago.

I tend to think my body craves what it broadly needs, it just doesn't do it very well. So if I've been low on carbs and should eat some complex carbs, I tend to crave fudge. 

happyplodder

Having time on my hands at the moment...I totted up my recent carbohydrate intake and it is 200-250g most days which I am not sure is enough. Last week I ran 50km, cycled 50km, swam 5km, two pilates sessions, weights session and 15-20 mins of strengthening and toning every day. I am only 50kg though so won't have as large requirements as someone heavier. Any ideas of what my daily intake should be?

[Deleted User]

aimingforfaster wrote (see)

Having time on my hands at the moment...I totted up my recent carbohydrate intake and it is 200-250g most days which I am not sure is enough. Last week I ran 50km, cycled 50km, swam 5km, two pilates sessions, weights session and 15-20 mins of strengthening and toning every day. I am only 50kg though so won't have as large requirements as someone heavier. Any ideas of what my daily intake should be?

I'm thinking this may help?:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/546239-what-percentage-of-calories-should-be-carbs-for-runners/