Cravings Are Clues, Not Flaws
Cravings often get blamed on a lack of willpower. The truth is, your body is talking to you. You just need to learn the language.
Whether it’s chocolate, sugar, salty snacks, or even ice, many common cravings signal that your body needs nutrients. Many common cravings signal that your body needs nutrients. Often, these are tied to minerals, protein, essential fats, or imbalances in blood sugar or stress hormones.
What Do Food Cravings Really Mean?
🧁 Sugar Cravings
Could Mean:
- Low protein intake
- Deficiency in magnesium, zinc, chromium, or B-vitamins
- Blood sugar dysregulation
- Gut imbalances (like candida overgrowth)
What to Try:
- Include protein in every meal
- Supplement magnesium (glycinate or citrate)
- Eat mineral-rich foods or use trace mineral drops
- Drink clove green tea to eliminate bad gut bacteria
🧂 Salt Cravings
Could Mean:
- Deficiency in sodium, potassium, magnesium, or chloride
- Adrenal stress or dehydration
What to Try:
- Add unrefined salt like Celtic or Redmond
- Use electrolyte drinks without added sugar
- Prioritize hydration, especially under stress
🍫 Chocolate Cravings
Could Mean:
- Magnesium deficiency (especially common during stress or PMS)
What to Try:
- Add pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, or leafy greens
- Supplement with magnesium glycinate
🍞 Bread, Pasta, or Carb Cravings
Could Mean:
- Amino acid (nitrogen) deficiency
- Chromium or serotonin imbalance
- Unstable blood sugar
What to Try:
- Add protein-rich foods like eggs or legumes
- Try B-complex and chromium picolinate
- Balance meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
🍷 Alcohol Cravings
Could Mean:
- Magnesium, potassium, zinc, or calcium deficiency
- Emotional coping mechanism (stress, anxiety)
What to Try:
- Replenish minerals with bone broth or electrolytes
- Support your nervous system with adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola)
🧀 Cheese or Dairy Cravings
Could Mean:
- Low calcium or vitamin D
- Need for fat or serotonin boost
What to Try:
- Try bone-in fish like sardines, or greens
- Use vitamin D3/K2 supplements
- Fermented dairy (yogurt, kefir) for gut and mood support
🍖 Red Meat Cravings
Could Mean:
- Low iron, zinc, B12, or carnitine
What to Try:
- Include beef, bison, or liver
- Supplement iron only if ferritin is low
- Oysters are a powerhouse for zinc
🧊 Ice Cravings (Pagophagia)
Could Mean:
- Iron deficiency anemia (very common)
What to Try:
- Ask your doctor for a ferritin test
- Eat iron-rich foods or consider gentle iron supplements
🍋 Sour or Vinegary Cravings
Could Mean:
- Low stomach acid
- Zinc or vitamin C deficiency
What to Try:
- Increase salt intake to increase stomach acid
- Drink lemon water or diluted apple cider vinegar before meals
- Consider digestive bitters
- Add citrus fruits and bell peppers to meals
🍔 Greasy or Fatty Food Cravings
Could Mean:
- Low intake of essential fats (omega-3s, choline, fat-soluble vitamins)
- Possible gallbladder or bile flow issue
What to Try:
- Eat avocados, eggs, olive oil, fatty fish
- Add omega-3s (fish oil or cod liver oil)
- Consider ox bile or bitters if digesting fats is hard
Why This Matters
Instead of fighting your cravings, start interpreting them. Most cravings fade or disappear entirely when your body is nourished with the nutrients it’s been lacking.
This is a foundational principle at Living Abundantly: listen to your body. We are not random chemical and flesh machines made by chance. We were designed intelligently by God. Your spirit is actively trying to heal your body. When you respond with the right support, your energy, focus, mood, and even your metabolism can shift dramatically.
Final Thoughts
Cravings aren’t random—they’re messages from your body. With the right nutrients, you can go from constantly fighting food urges to feeling deeply satisfied and in control.
Want to decode your cravings and start nourishing your body from the inside out? Stick around. Living Abundantly is here to help.
Leave a comment