Studies have shown that over 90% of us experience cravings on a regular basis, suggesting that these cravings may not only be moments of weakness but may also be meaningful signals that our bodies are missing something. (1)

Cravings can be both physiological and/or psychological and can represent a complex interplay of multiple factors, from neurotransmitter dynamics to emotional impulses, blood sugar fluctuations, nutrient deficiencies, and environmental cues. Neurotransmitters – or lack thereof – can impact your cravings, and be the reason for your need to satisfy that sweet or salty indulgence.

Research suggests that women tend to have weaker control over their food cravings compared to men, and males are more likely to crave savory foods, whereas females are more likely to crave high-fat and/or sweet foods. (2)

Food cravings can really dismantle or interfere with following a healthy diet or wanting to make changes to your eating regime. It is important for you to understand your food cravings and how to resolve them.

Are Your Neurotransmitters Impacting Your Cravings?

Cravings to Help Increase Focus and Energy

Do you have cravings to specifically try and help with increasing your focus and energy? Then this could be related to low dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for our drive, motivation, and giving us that “get up and go.” Diets that are low in protein may be impacting your ability to focus and be motivated, and this, in part, can be due to one specific amino acid — tyrosine — which helps to make dopamine. Tyrosine also acts as a natural antidepressant, and depression can also be a trigger for cravings. It is also a natural appetite suppressant that might also help to curb hunger in general.

Foods high in tyrosine include seaweed, spirulina, turkey, chicken, beef, tofu, squash, pumpkin seeds, and eggs. If you struggle to get enough protein into your diet, you may want to consider supplementing with Tyrosine.

Cravings to Seek Comfort and Reward

Seeking comfort and reward with food can be due to a lack of endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that are produced in your brain. They attach to your brain’s reward centers (opioid receptors) and carry signals across your nervous system. They are “feel-good” chemicals because they help relieve pain, reduce stress, improve mood, and put you in a positive state of mind.

Endorphins can be boosted by exercising, eating, having sex, getting a massage, and in many other ways.
Releasing endorphins has been shown to regulate appetite and help reduce cravings related to seeking comfort, especially if you seek treats as a reward. (3)

Strategies to help boost your endorphins and manage cravings can include exercise. Many people feel a “runner’s high” after a good run. But you don’t have to run to feel a runner’s high. Other forms of exercise that will help you release endorphins include power walking, swimming, dancing, hiking, as well as other pleasurable activities such as sex, acupuncture, and spending time with friends laughing.

If you feel like you need an added boost, then you may want to consider taking a D-Phenylalanine supplement.

Cravings to Relieve Stress

Stress eating can be due to a lack of GABA. GABA can take away the “food noise” and reduce the feelings of being deprived. If you struggle with feeling anxious, worried, or fearful, unable to relax or loosen up, experience physical tension/stiff or tense muscles, feel easily overwhelmed,  and burned out, have intrusive/unwanted thoughts, as well as cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, and alcohol, then you may need to look at supplementing with GABA.

However, it is not just about “popping a pill.” GABA is best taken sublingually by using a GABA spray, powder, or sucking on a GABA lozenge so it to be absorbed into the bloodstream in the mouth.

To find out more about GABA and how to take it, check out this article.

Looking for a GABA supplement that can help with this? Click here for the best ones to use.

Cravings Due to Worrying, Ruminating Thoughts, Sadness, and More Cravings in the Afternoon and Evening

This can be due to low serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to boost our mood, it acts as a natural pain reliever, and can help support better sleep. When we have low serotonin, it can cause us to have increase cravings for carbohydrates, sugar, and even alcohol and drugs.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps to make serotonin, so consuming foods such as turkey, chicken, eggs, cheese, and nuts can help.
However, converting tryptophan into serotonin requires several nutrients (co-factors) such as iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin C. Many lifestyle factors can interfere with this conversion, such as digestive issues, smoking, blood sugar fluctuations, hormone imbalances, and stress.

If that is an issue, then you may want to consider taking 5-HTP, which is further along the pathway of making serotonin.
You will need to consult with your health practitioner (especially if on antidepressants) about taking a 5-HTP or tryptophan supplement.

I have seen great success with supplementing to help control cravings and binge eating when it is related to low serotonin.

Reasons Behind Your Particular Cravings: Sugar, Salt, Chocolate, and Alcohol

Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings can be from gut dysbiosis which is when there is to much bad bacteria or yeast (candida) in the gut can trigger intense sugar cravings to feed these pathogens. Blood sugar imbalances can also trigger sugar cravings. If you start your day with processed or high sugar foods then this can cause a blood sugar crash later on in the day resulting in strong cravings to help get the body back up in the normal range however, eating vegetables and healthy food won’t help you get that much needed boost quick enough so instead we tend to gravitate to more those quick glucose spiking foods such as refined grains, baked goods and sugary treats.

Solutions:

• Speak to your naturopathic doctor if you think you may have candida and get tested.
• Follow an anti-candida diet with a supplement protocol if needed.
• Start your day with a high-protein breakfast (e.g., eggs, low-sugar Greek yogurt with berries, protein shakes) to keep blood sugars stable.
• Balance meals through the “my plate method”: ¼ plate protein, ¼ starchy vegetables (like squash, sweet potatoes), ½ plate non-starchy vegetables.
• Focus on high-fiber foods and consider diets like the Mediterranean Diet, Anti-Inflammatory Diet, or the Metabolic Balance Program.

Salt Cravings

High stress and adrenal fatigue can be a reason for your salt cravings. Adrenals are also responsible for keeping our blood pressure up, when they are overworked, our body calls for support such as salt to bring up our blood pressure so the adrenals can be released from this task.

Solutions:

• Get cortisol testing (saliva testing multiple times a day) with a natruopath doctor.
• Balance blood sugars, as low blood sugar causes a cortisol release.
• Support adrenal health with supplements like Cortisol Manager.

Chocolate Cravings

Chocolate cravings can be due to low magnesium and often when people don’t get enough magnesium in their diet they tend to have cravings for chocolate. Chocolate contains caffeine that you also might be looking for to give you a energy boost. It also contains phenylethylamine which helps to create the chemicals that helps to give us the sensation of love.

Solutions:

• Boost magnesium intake with legumes, raw nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, and whole grains.
• Choose high-quality dark chocolate (85% cocoa or higher) to avoid high sugar.
• Supplement with magnesium bisglycinate or citrate, or relax with an Epsom salt bath. Click here for magnesium supplements.

Other Considerations for Cravings

Hormone Fluctuations

Hormonal fluctuations play a significant role in regulating cravings, particularly involving hormones like leptin, which signals satiety, and ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. When a person is carrying increased weight, it can dampen the hormone that signals satiety and perpetuate a negative spiral of further cravings, overeating and subsequently more weight gain.

Women often experience heightened cravings for sugary foods due to hormonal changes occurring during their menstrual cycle and when in peri-menopause when our estrogen and progesterone are low. These hormones impact the brain’s reward system, particularly the release of dopamine, which reinforces the desire for calorie-dense foods.

Solution: There are many treatment approaches and strategies for managing cravings related to hormone imbalances. One approach is the Metabolic Balance Program which helps to reduce insulin and balance out hormones to eliminate cravings all together. Consider hormone-balancing programs like the Metabolic Balance Program.

Summary

Lack of certain neurotransmitters such as GABA, dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin can all influence what you crave and why you crave it.
Cravings can also be related to nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, stress and psychological issues.

Supporting a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet will go a long way, but if extra help is needed, consider seeking counselling, a Nutritionist/Dietitian,  Naturopathic Support, or even a Disordered Eating Coach.

References

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4918881/ 
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5083777/
3. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eating-habits-and-the-psychology-of-food