We probably all get specific food cravings from time to time
But did you know what you crave most may be more than simply psychological. While it’s possible you enjoy certain foods like hot peppers due to their flavor or perhaps how they make you feel, the food you’re craving right now may be tied to what your body needs most. Some nutritionists say whether you’re craving spicy food, salty food, floury food, or sweet food, it may be because it’s something your body is currently lacking.
Take, for example, spicy food.
Sure, many of us love the taste of hot peppers and hot pepper products, but could our desire to eat more spice be connected to a deeper issue? According to some experts, that spicy food craving could be because of thyroid problems. The thyroid, of course, is tied to our metabolism. If your metabolism goes down, your body could be looking for a way to boost it back up. Capsaicin, which is of course the spicy part of a hot pepper, helps naturally increase your metabolism. That’s why some people reach for hot peppers, and the hotter the better. Luckily, there are all kinds of options that rank high on the heat scale.
There are other cravings that may have different causes.
When you’re playing sports, you lose sodium. That’s why some people start to crave salty foods because their body is trying to replenish what it recently lost. If this is the case, you could try sipping still mineral water. It’s said to be rich in sodium chloride. Along the same lines, some people crave sweet foods when they’re stressed. Instead of reaching for sweets that could have the negative result of packing on the pounds, things that contain magnesium, like nuts, almonds, and cashews may be a better idea. Of course, any food probably needs to be taken in moderation, no matter how big the craving.
