Craving certain foods even though you are not pregnant? this is the cause

Have you ever had a sudden desire for a particular food to be willing to go to a location far enough away just to get it? It feels like cravings, right? Even though you are not pregnant. One survey even managed to reveal that, almost 91 percent of women, experience this excessive cravings.

Cravings or what is also known as food craving are conditions in which you crave to eat certain foods. This condition can occur even if you are not pregnant and even not completely hungry. Here are some other facts about these cravings.

What causes food cravings when you are not pregnant?

1. Your mood and mood

Dopamine is a compound that can make you feel comfortable and happy. According to a nutritionist, Jaime Mass, when you find a particular food that is able to make your body release dopamine, your brain will send a signal to the body to want that food in each of the same conditions.

This condition is supported by Adam Drewnowski, who said that being in an unpleasant condition, or even a condition that can make you feel depressed, will further trigger your need for certain types of food. Some will immediately eat spicy food whenever they feel sad, or eat chocolate whenever they feel upset, for example.

Likewise, a survey conducted by Wansink, which revealed that out of 1,000 participants, 86 percent of them will crave specific foods when they are happy, 52 percent when they feel bored, and 39 percent when they feel sad or lonely.

2. The body lacks certain nutrients

When you have certain food cravings, it could be because your body lacks certain nutrients, such as:

• When you want something sweet, your body may be experiencing fluctuations in blood sugar. However, responding to this condition by eating something sweet will actually cause your body to crave for that sweet food more and more.
• When you crave salty foodThis could mean that the adrenal glands (the glands that sit on top of your kidneys and release the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline) are under stress. Instead of overcoming it by eating salty foods, according to research conducted by the University of Utah, doing meditation or deep breathing can actually reduce 25 percent of these stress hormones.

Food cravings don't always have to be fulfilled

Even though they may seem trivial, cravings that are allowed to drag on can develop into a food addiction. Not only alcohol, food addiction can also be dangerous for you. A condition called food addiction, when the following symptoms are:

• You often crave these foods lately, even when you just ate (still full). Especially if you eat the food once, you can't stop to eat it.
• You feel guilty for eating the food, but you still can't help but not eat it anymore.
• You start to make excuses for you to eat the foods that make you crave so much.
• You hide your cravings for these foods from those around you.

How to overcome cravings that are already excessive?

• An eating disorder expert, Cynthia Bulik, suggests listening to music or even creating a playlist whenever you are in a bad mood or feeling depressed, or when you start to feel like you want certain foods that are usually able to improve your mood.
• A nutritionist, Kathy McManu says that refraining from eating certain foods will only increase your desire to eat these foods. Instead of struggling to refrain from eating the food, you better eat it but reduce the portion.
• Having less sleep and unhealthy eating habits, such as snacking every time you watch TV, can also trigger cravings. It's best to stay away from the source of the temptation, by not sitting near the kitchen while watching TV, for example.