The physical and mental aspects of food cravings

POLOKWANE – Food cravings are often associated with pregnancy; however, they can be caused by a number of factors.

Kulani Mtileni, a local senior dietitian and founder of Dietitians24 in the city, explained that the factors that cause cravings can be split into two main categories namely physical and mental. Being aware may help you identify which factors specifically trigger your cravings.

Mtileni indicated that there is a popular belief that cravings are a sign that your body lacks certain nutrients.

“In most cases, this theory is not supported by science. For instance, salt cravings may, in some cases, be caused by a sodium deficiency. However, most people who crave salty foods are not deficient in this nutrient,” he explained.

Moreover, based on this nutrient deficiency theory, you would expect that most cravings would be for nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or legumes.

Yet in reality, most cravings tend to be for foods with low nutritional value, such as highly processed foods rich in added fat, sugar, or salt.

“In addition, research suggests that men and women tend to crave different foods. For instance, women are more likely to crave sweet-tasting foods, while men are likelier to crave savoury ones. But there’s little evidence that women would be lacking nutrients more likely to be found in sweet foods and men would be lacking ones likelier found in savoury ones,” he said.

He further stated that research suggests that the less frequently you eat certain foods, the less likely you are to crave them. However, if cravings were initiated by a low intake of these foods, you would expect the exact opposite effect to happen.

Mtileni added that although craving food items is unlikely to be a sign of nutrient deficiencies, craving non-food items might be. One example of this is pica, a condition that can cause people to crave non-food items, such as ice, dirt, or laundry detergent.

“Pica occurs most commonly in children and pregnant women, and its exact cause has not yet been identified. However, studies suggest that people with pica often have low iron, calcium, or zinc levels. Moreover, their cravings for non-food items often resolve when the lacking nutrients are supplemented,” he said.