An idea that pops up a lot in intuitive eating, something that’s kind of similar/has many parallels with mindful eating, is that when you crave something, it’s because your body needs that thing.
The idea is that your body knows what it needs and can communicate this when you’re thinking about what to eat. Different foodstuffs contain different vital nutrients, so if I’m craving chocolate milk, it’s because I’m running low on, maybe, calcium or something else that I usually get from dairy. (Now that I’m a grown-up, I don’t drink milk, and I don’t really like the yoghurt in this country so I don’t eat that much, either.)
It makes a lot of sense and fits with some interesting observations. For instance, that a half-eaten jar of peanut butter can sit on the shelf for about a month, and then vanish (along with half of the next jar) in the space of a week. I’m the only one who eats the stuff, so clearly there’s something going on between me and the peanut butter.
I do think it’s dangerous to rely on this too much, though. Sometimes you crave things for emotional reasons rather than nutrient reasons. I’m sure my craving for Dutch pork liver sausage*, which surfaces now and then, doesn’t have anything to do with the nutrients in pork liver, but is about eating something that goes with being at home, something I loved as a child, and was given as a treat when I was a child. But a craving feels like a craving, and it’s not always easy to figure out what’s behind any particular one.
*I have tried and failed to find a UK equivalent for leverworst. There’s plenty of stuff based on pork liver, but it just doesn’t scratch the same itch. Even the German import super doesn’t have anything. For a moment I was hopeful about some of the Polish sausages that are around in our supermarkets now, but they only look similar. Sadface.
So I guess the answer is to pay attention to my cravings (OK, it’s hard not to) and take them as a possible indication, but not trust them blindly like some kind of sign from the heavens I need to eat this particular thing. It’s important to be slightly wary, because when I really crave something, it’s actually easier to not have any, than to have some, but a reasonable amount.
When I get to craving something, I want the whole packet. Or carton, or bottle, or whatever. I’m little miss spoon-in-the-peanut-butter-jar when I’m really itching for something. And I don’t think that kind of behaviour is good, even if it is a legitimate “you need some nuts now” type craving.
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I so understand what you’re saying, I have 2 types:
- As I don’t eat an awful lot of meat/cheese in my everyday diet, I will sometimes just crave a slab of meat dammit! Plus sometimes (probably time of the month related), I will crave a bit of rare steak and also leafy greens at the same time – need iron much? XD
I’m pretty sure stuff like that is my body saying it could do with some extra protein/calcium/iron etc.
- On the flip side I will sometimes crave biscuits or chocolate, but much more often pizza (I adore pizza way way too much ^^; ). I think in a way this is legitimate – these foods do make me happy when I eat them, so if I’m overworked or stressed I can see why I would crave them (they’re also easy to eat with barely any preparation) pity they’re quite bad for me, and I do tend to feel a bit bloated and bleh the day after a pizza fest (I wonder why… XD )
I think tho its important not to ban the pizza-fests (or whatever), just make sure they don’t become a regular thing ^^