What are your food cravings?

When your body has cravings, it’s often simply craving the nutrients and minerals that it lacks. What does it mean if you have cravings for sugary things one day then salty things a few days later?

Here are some of the most common cravings along with healthier alternatives to satisfy each need.

Chocolate

When you crave chocolate, your body needs magnesium. Raw nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits can satisfy that need.

Sweets

Sweets might be the most common craving, especially here in America. When you really want something sweet, your body probably needs carbon. Fresh fruits are a healthier alternative to the “sweets” aisle at the grocery store.

Bread

Craving bread might mean you need more nitrogen in your body. High protein meats, fish, nuts and beans can help with that.

Oily Snacks/Fatty Foods

Your body needs calcium – instead of hitting up a drive through, get some mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes or cheese.

Salty Foods

Try adding sea salt to some veggies or a salad.

Premenstrual Cravings

Your body needs zinc during this time and you can satisfy that need with red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables and root vegetables.

Lack of Appetite

Sometimes when you’re “just not hungry,” your body is lacking manganese, vitamin B1 and/or vitamin B3. Nuts, seeds, beans, tuna, beef, chicken, legumes, walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapples and blueberries are great sources of these important nutrients.

You can satisfy your cravings with easy and healthy snacks or meals. You may even start to crave the healthy stuff instead of the processed and preservative-filled foods to which our culture is addicted.

Listen to your body, it’ll tell you what it needs.