Compelled to scoff up chocolate or consumed by a need for chips?
Whether you sit in camp sweet or savory, chances are you’ve been gripped by a food craving once or twice in your life.
Defined as an intense desire for a specific food, they are not solely reserved for the pregnant women among us.
And despite your best efforts to trick your brain into accepting something else, in most cases you won’t be fully satisfied until you get that food.
Many believe that cravings are the body’s way of telling us we are missing something.
But The Sun’s nutritionist, Amanda Ursell, said that is a common misconception.
She explained that most of our cravings, often for junk foods like chocolate and chips, are habitual.
Amanda said: “You may feel like you want to have something very, very badly.
“But that may be habitual because you have always had it.
“For example, if in the afternoon you always have a piece of cake then your mind will be used to having it so your perception is you are craving it.
“It may be that at that time of day your blood sugar level has dropped and your body is telling you that you need something.
“Because you have always had cake, that is what you go for.
“But you could just as easily have a banana which would do the same thing physiologically, which means it would bring your blood sugar levels up.”
Amanda explained that while your blood sugar levels have gone up and your body no longer feels like it needs to eat, your mind is still focusing on the cake.
And that is where many people’s problems lie.
Cravings, whether its for chocolate, cake or a burger, do not make for an easy weight loss plan for those trying to shed a few pounds.
But Amanda said there are a few ways you can try to manage and replace your cravings.
Chocolate
This is probably one of the most common cravings people experience, said Amanda.
In order to curb this craving, as with most, you need to be eating properly at meal times.
If you don’t have a good breakfast and good lunch then your blood sugar levels will drop in the afternoon and your chocolate craving will kick in.
Amanda said: “You need to make sure, biochemically, you are in the right place so your blood sugar levels are steady and stable and you’re giving yourself a chance to be in control.
“If you are stressed and normally chocolate is your go-to [snack], obviously dealing with the stress is important.
“But if you want chocolate and nothing else will do, try to wean yourself off the milk chocolate and onto the dark chocolate it seems to be more satisfying and you eat less off it.”
She recommended snacks like dried fruit or packets of nuts and dark chocolate chips to help curb your sweet tooth.
Chips
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, chips are probably the thing you crave the most.
But unfortunately, we learn to like salt as we eat it so curbing the cravings is a matter of will power.
Amanda said: “All you can do, I’m afraid, is [hold off]
“When you are born you can perceive bitter and perceive sweet but you can’t perceive salt, so you learn to like and want it.
“It takes about six weeks to have a whole new set of taste buds to allow you to get used to a lower level of salt.”
One tip is to add citrus to your cooking as it enhances your taste for saltiness, so you can use less for the same taste.
Amanda also recommends buying multipacks of chips because the packets of chips in the snack packs are smaller, so you are immediately controlling your portion size.
If not, try making your own vegetable chips or opt for a small savory bag of popcorn as it has more fiber content than fat.
Cakes and pastries
If chocolate isn’t your weakness then maybe cake is.
Again this craving often comes with a drop in blood sugar levels in the afternoon.
But unfortunately there isn’t a better cake option like dark chocolate.
Amanda said: “When you go into a coffee shop and you are faced with that barrage of cakes it is really difficult.
“If you are in a situation like that it is almost like damage control by going for the smallest one you can, or buying one and sharing with a friend.
“It is more of a behavioural thing, you need to take yourself out of situations where you are going to be tempted.”
Amanda suggests opting for a small bag of nuts or dried fruit or a piece of fruit to beat your sugar cravings.
It may not give you the instant satisfaction but it will keep you fuller for longer and be a healthier option.
Burgers, fries and other junk
This is another case of being overwhelmed by your choices.
If the food you crave is right in front of you, you are unlikely to say no.
Amanda said: “If you can be the person that goes into a McDonald’s and orders something healthy then do it, but if you can’t then don’t go.
“The problem is you automatically go in there are say ‘Big Mac and fries’, the problem is behavioral.”
Amanda said changing your food habits takes a sustained effort and you will always be temped to eat those treats.
But instead of giving in, try and make healthier versions of these snacks at home.
She said: “You could make a lean burger and grate some carrot and courgette and onion into it and just use less meat.
“Then just add loads of salad and have a smaller bun with a handful of over chips.
“That would give you a burger and chips with significantly less calories.”
All the above cravings are contributing to unhealthy diets and expanding waistlines.
The latest statistics show 58 percent of women and 68 percent of men in England are overweight or obese.
Obesity comes with a range of health problems including increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease and 11 different types of cancer.
Luckily for us, science has also been looking into ways we can reduce our cravings.
And it doesn’t always have to revolve around changing your food habits.
How to reduce your cravings…
Before you give in and reach for that bar of chocolate, take a look at your lifestyle and ask if that is contributing to your need for that sweet treat.
Luckily there have been several studies into food cravings and how to reduce them.
Reduce your stress levels
Stress eating is something most will relate to.
Most of us are guilty of reaching for something comforting when emotions are running high.
A 2014 study found that women are more prone to sweet cravings when they are stressed.
The study found that those who were more susceptible to a sweet craving were also more likely to be overweight and have a larger hip circumference.
Stress also causes higher levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – in the body, which can promote belly fat.
So it might be time to look at ways you can manage your stress rather than gorging on a cake.
Get enough shut-eye
Not getting enough sleep could disrupt your hormone balance, according to one study.
It found those who do not get enough sleep were unable to determine when they had excess energy stores from food and therefore gained weight though overeating.
But when they switched to a better sleep schedule they lost weight as their hormones were brought back into balance.
Chew gum
Not only will it freshen your breath, but it may help you keep cravings at bay.
That’s because it keeps your mouth busy and tricks your body into thinking it is satisfied.
A study in 2011 found that people who chewed gum had fewer sugar and salt cravings than those who did not.
They also found that chewing gum for 45 minutes significantly reduced hunger and appetite.
Eat enough protein
Protein is the health food of the hour thanks to it’s ability to keep you fuller for longer.
But it seems it may also help curb cravings.
According to a study published in the journal Obesity found that obese men who ate a high protein diet were more satisfied after meals and had more control over their appetite in the evening.
They were able to reduce their cravings by as much as 60 percent if they got a quarter of their daily calorie intake from protein.