Chocolate bread even wine: What your cravings are trying to tell your body – what to eat instead 

We’ve all been there – those all-consuming moments where we can think of nothing  except munching on a bar of chocolate, a sticky jam doughnut or getting our ‘grande’ fix of coffee.

But now Australian experts are warning that these cravings could be a warning sign that our bodies are lacking key nutrients.

Speaking to FEMAIL about what your cravings are trying to tell you, clinical nutritionist and practitioner at Body Catalyst, Sandra Cooty, said there was more to this niggling desire for food than meets the eye.

Have you ever thought about what your cravings are trying to tell you? Recently, an expert took a look (stock image)

Body Catalyst nutritionist and clinical practitioner Sandra Cooty (pictured) shared the underlying dietary reasons behind commonly craved food products

Body Catalyst nutritionist and clinical practitioner Sandra Cooty (pictured) shared the underlying dietary reasons behind commonly craved food products

Ms Cooty said that usually there was an underlying cause behind our food cravings.

‘We need to understand these strong urges for certain food and look at the longer term rather than instantly gratifying with a quick fix,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

‘For example, when we crave chocolate or something high in sugar, what our body is actually crying out for is magnesium.’

To balance out our magnesium requirements and banish those pesky chocolate daydreams, Ms Cooty suggested snacking on colourful fresh fruit, nuts or seeds instead. 

Strong urges for chocolate can signify a magnesium deficiency, nutritionist Sandra Cooty warns - she said you could colourful fresh fruit, nuts or seeds instead (stock image)

Strong urges for chocolate can signify a magnesium deficiency, nutritionist Sandra Cooty warns – she said you could colourful fresh fruit, nuts or seeds instead (stock image)

Fresh fruit contains rich volumes of magnesium as well as a plethora of other nutrients (stock image)

Fresh fruit contains rich volumes of magnesium as well as a plethora of other nutrients (stock image)

Sources of nutrients 

* Chromium – eat raw nuts, seeds, fruit and legumes.

* Carbon – eat fresh fruit.

 * Sulfur – eat cranberries, egg yolks, horseradish sauce, leafy greens, garlic and onion.

* Phosphorous – eat fish, eggs, dairy products and nuts.

* Tryptophan – eat cheese, lamb, raisins, sweet potato and spinach.

The nutritionist added that we must fight recurring cravings for fatty, calorific foods and look at our diets holistically to get the physical results we want as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Body Catalyst is a team of nutritionists who combine dietary improvements with body sculpting and contouring treatments to achieve physical and emotional shifts in how we perceive our bodies.

Ms Cooty said persistent urges for bread indicates a nitrogen deficiency.

This can be remedied by snacking on high protein foods such as red meat, eggs, cottage cheese and yellow fin tuna.

Addicted to baguettes? It could be a sign of a nitrogen deficiency, experts say (stock image) - instead, you might want to turn to high protein foods

Addicted to baguettes? It could be a sign of a nitrogen deficiency, experts say (stock image) – instead, you might want to turn to high protein foods

Opting for red meats, dairy, raw nuts and dark leafy greens leaves you fuller for longer and enriches the body with vital nutrients, not empty calories (stock image)

Opting for red meats, dairy, raw nuts and dark leafy greens leaves you fuller for longer and enriches the body with vital nutrients, not empty calories (stock image)

Sources of nutrients 

* Nitrogen – eat foods high in protein, 

* Calcium – eat mustard, turnip greens, leafy greens, cheese and sesame.

* Protein – eat meat, poultry, seafood and raw nuts.

* NaCl– sea salt and apple cider vinegar.

* Iron – eat seaweed, meat, greens and black cherries. 

If you are prone to leaning towards the cookie jar for anything sweet, the body coach advises you may need to up your carbon, chromium, phosphorous and sulfur consumption.

This can be achieved by incorporating raw nuts, seeds, legumes and plenty of fresh fruit into the diet. Alternatively, fish, eggs, cranberries and kale are also rich sources of these important nutrients.

Cravings for alcohol or a strong desire to consume recreational drugs should ring alarm bells about your intake of protein, calcium, glutamine and potassium.  

Experts warn that being partial to alcohol could indicate a lack of protein and calcium (stock image)

Experts warn that being partial to alcohol could indicate a lack of protein and calcium (stock image)



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