THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF FOOD CRAVINGS

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WHAT IS FOOD CRAVING?   

There is a need to explain the term craving. It can be described as a yearning, a great desire or even an eager longing for something . When an individual craves for something there is a great urge to have that which one critically desires. This post is about food cravings. The other kinds of cravings might form the content of future posts. We all experience food cravings either one time or another. These desires come on and sometimes we seem helpless to the situations. At times, we crave for sweets, chocolates, chips and in some bizarre situations we have people craving for charcoal. There have been reports of pregnant women craving for charcoal. Yes charcoal, some even have the urge to eat sand. How absurd!!!   

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TYPES OF FOOD CRAVING 

Three types of food craving have been identified. These are: 

SUPPORTIVE CRAVINGS  

                                                                           

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This kind of craving occurs when our bodies lack some kind of food nutrients needed or when a deficit is noticed or felt, there is the need to enhance a healing process or an imbalance is noticed in the body chemistry.  Supportive cravings are quite distinct to each person and these cravings depend on a number of causes or factors which the individual may experience in his/her body physiology. Examples include craving for fruits when a person feels that he/she has not heard enough in a while. Another view is craving for food nutrients rich in Vitamin C when suffering from cold or flu. There are instances of people who desire raspberry juice any time they have a headache.   

  DISPERSIVE CRAVINGS    

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 As the name suggests, these sort of cravings deplete the health and weaken the energy of the person concerned. Food items craved for include but not limited to the following; excessive sugar intake from items such as soft drinks (soda), ice cream, cakes etc, junk foods, fried foods and even alcohol. Some people use the dispersive craving as an escape route when they feel depressed, have failed relationships, or when faced with life challenges etc.  

                                

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Furthermore, this type of craving brings about a misleading desire or urge in the body. The body is “deceived” into believing that excessive and unwarranted intake of these food items is helpful and will bring about a sense of satisfaction. Unfortunately, when the effects wear off, one is left worse off by way of unhealthy lifestyle which might have untold consequences.  

ASSOCIATIVE CRAVINGS 

Cravings under this category are tied to the individual’s past. For example, when people pay a visit to their parents and grandparents or even to places where they grew up; there is an unexpected desire for food from their childhood. For me, any time I visited my hometown, I have the desire to eat the local foods which ordinarily I may not ordinarily eat in my station.  My Nigerian Steemit friends can easily identify with the following dishes.

Fresh Fish and Banga

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Pounded Yam with Efo Riro and Orishirishi

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Amala with Okro and Assorted Meat

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CAUSES OF FOOD CRAVINGS

Food cravings are said to be bad for us, but you will agree that not all food cravings are bad for example supportive cravings actual help to correct imbalances in our bodies. What then are the causes of food cravings? Can it be mental, physical or can it be due to something else?  It's all in your head or is it? People who do not have food cravings might believe that food cravings are all in the head. However, in some cases they may be right. Research has revealed that there are specific parts of the brain that are responsible for cravings of food. The memory factors and the area responsible for sensing pleasure are two of those areas. · 

The Brain 

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There are three areas of the brain - the hippocampus, insula, and caudate appear to be activated during food-craving episodes, according to research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center. According to their brain tests, these memory areas of the brain are important to food cravings.   

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Emotions and desires 

Food cravings can be caused by emotions and desires. We often crave certain types of food when we are stressed or anxious. Carbohydrates boost the hormone serotonin, which has a calming effect on our body.   

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Lack of Variety in Diets 

A lack of variety in our diets can lead to food cravings. If you eat the same kind of foods every day, like when you are on a very restricted diet, your body craves the foods you are no longer eating.  It is good to have balanced diets so that our bodies are not deprived of essential nutrients needed for healthy living. 

Lifestyle Activities 

Certain activities, people, or places can often trigger a craving for certain foods. For example, Friday nights might be movie night with your family or friends. That could also mean it’s pizza and popcorn night, beer and pepper soup night, or just ice cream and cake outing. Your body does not necessarily need pizza, popcorn, beer, cake, ice cream etc every Friday, but you have conditioned yourself to crave it on movie or outing night.  

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  Nutrients Deficiency 

Food cravings are also caused when an individual is deficient in certain minerals and vitamins which are lacking in the diet. Many people who eat a lot of processed foods are suffering from mild malnutrition because they are not getting the nutrients they need from whole, nutrient filled foods.  

 Addiction 

Addiction may be cause the individual to crave certain foods. Apart from alcohol, sugar and coffee are those that most people seem to have trouble with. Certain foods stimulate the reward center of the brain in the same way drugs as cocaine does. These foods allow the body to release “feel good” hormones every time they are ingested. As for me, coffee is my get to drink first thing in the morning. What about you? Don’t worry, be honest, I will not tell anyone! 

There is no simple answer to why we have food cravings. Individual differences play a significant role in food craving as it might be caused by a combination of two or more factors.  If you are stressed, you may have a craving for sugar, which in turn stimulates an addiction like the need for sweets.     

 HARMFUL EFFECTS OF FOOD CRAVINGS 

According to a study published by the US National Library of Medicine’s National Institute of Health on the effects of cravings and depression, they found that, “Fast-food and commercially baked goods consumption may have a detrimental effect on depression risk.” In other words, eating junk food may be linked to an increase in depression. Cravings can have many harmful effects on you.  

•   Weight Gain  Eating excessive amounts of sugar, processed foods, fatty foods, drinking alcohol, and consuming too much salt can add extra pounds to even the healthiest person. This leads to obesity if not checked. Some of the diseases associated with obesity include diabetes, cancer, infertility, back pain, heart diseases etc.  

                                                 

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•   Health Issues  Salty and fatty foods can both lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Too much sugary foods like diet soft drinks can lead to diabetes and its complications, heart attacks, dangerous blood clots and other cardiovascular problems.  
•    Alcohol Cravings Craving alcohol can lead to problems like liver disease, gout, cancer, pancreas and the other immune system diseases. Excessive in take of alcohol can lead to liver cirrhosis  

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• Dental problems  Sugary, processed foods as well as alcohol can all lead to dental problems ranging from tooth decay to gum disease. 
• Psychological issues  Trying to control the cravings for certain foods and not being able to stop can lead to thoughts of low self-esteem, believing something is wrong with you and other thought issues. 

Cravings foods can be harmful to your physical and mental health in many ways. It’s important to learn how to overcome these cravings in healthy ways. The subject of my next post is how to curb food cravings and be healthy. Please watch out. You will be glad !!!   

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.monell.org/Advancing-Discovery-i-Taste-and-smell

https://www.nlm.nih.gov