Everyone always has random food cravings, however this past week it seemed like I had been getting craving for certain foods more frequently. I did a quick google search to see what was out there and found some articles that explained the meaning behind your craving. Here is an example:
I thought that this was an interesting concept, that our cravings is our bodies way of telling us that it is lacking in a certain nutrient or mineral. I did not put much stock into the chart, but I dove further into the research and found an article published by Tufts, explains that cravings are more closely linked to our diets being too routine rather than not nutritious enough.
Another and more prominent reason behind our cravings is our addiction to food. In a research study, investigators put individuals in an MRI and prompted a craving for their favorite food. The regions of the brain that are most closely related to addiction (Hippocampus, Cruadate and the Insula) all lit up with activity. The hippocampus plays an important role in forming memories, and so by giving into a craving we are only positively reinforcing the craving. Cravings are also brought on by conscious and unconscious marketing along with the role that hormones play in our body.
Now that I knew more about why I was getting random food cravings. I wanted to know more on how to stop them, or at least find a solution to distract myself. I found another article describing a study that found that playing tetris for less than 5 minutes every day can help lower the risk of experiencing food cravings. By playing tetris and being distracted both visually and mentally stopped the food craving. I thought that this was an easy finding, and the interference proved to be effective. The strength of the craving was decreased from about 75% to 50% just by playing three minutes of a tetris game!
Pretty neat huh?
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