Food Cravings

Ever had a bizarre food craving? Or felt like you needed a ‘something’ but couldn’t quite figure it out and so you had a chocolate? A small part of you knew that the chocolate wasn’t quite the right thing though, but boy it still tasted great. Or you feel like something salty… could it be that your sodium levels are low?

According to Tanya Alekseeva, a Wellness Coach who specialises in Raw Food Nutrition and Detoxification, there are definitely meanings in your cravings, which are different to hunger. Hunger is your stomach telling you ‘feed me’, and cravings are your mind telling you something is missing from your diet. Below is a chart that Alekseeva developed which can help you identify what your craving is and how to deal with it.

Cause

Essential Fatty Acids deficiency

Dietary requirements

Omega 3′s (EPA and DHA)– Flax oil, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Omega 3

Cause

Calcium deficiency

Dietary requirements

Sesame seeds/ tahini, broccoli, kale, legumes, mustard and turnip greens

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Calcium Plus Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Chromium deficiency

Dietary requirements

Onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, cinnamon, grapes, apples, sweet potato

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Magnesium plus Vitaforce Ladyvite Vitaforce Mensvite

Cause

Nitrogen deficiency

Dietary requirements

Foods containing proteins, i.e.. Green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains

Cause

Iron deficiency

Dietary requirements

Beans, legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs+ other dried fruit, seaweed, spinach, cherries, Vitamin C for iron absorption

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Ladyvite Ladyvite 50+ Vitaforce Mensvite Mensvite 50+ Vitaforce Ultra A-Z Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Stress hormone fluctuations

Dietary requirements

Meditation, breathing exercises, exercise, leafy greens, vitamin B and C

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Vitamin B₆ Vitaforce Folic acid & B₁₂ Vitaforce Nutri-B Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Chloride deficiency

Dietary requirements

Celery, olives, tomato, kelp, Himalayan sea salt

Cause

Carbon deficiency

Dietary requirements

Fresh fruits

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Calcium Plus

Cause

Magnesium deficiency

Dietary requirements

Raw cacao nibs/beans/powder, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, greens, fruit

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Ultra A-Z Vitaforce Magnesium Plus

Cause

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

Dietary requirements

Fruit, high fibre foods (beans, legumes), complex carbs (grains), chromium (cinnamon)

Cause

Tryptophan deficiency

Dietary requirements

Spirulina, pumpkin/sesame/sunflower seeds, raw cacao, oatmeal, sweet potato, spinach, raisins

Cause

Sulphur deficiency

Dietary requirements

Cruciferous vege (kale, cabbage, etc), cranberries, horseradish, asparagus, carob powder, garlic, onion

Cause

NaCl (salt) deficiency

Dietary requirements

Himalayan or Aztecan sea salt, Apple Cider vinegar, kombucha

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Tranquilyt

Cause

Phosphorus deficiency

Dietary requirements

Whole grains, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, lentils

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Tranquilyt

Cause

Glutamine deficiency

Dietary requirements

Cabbage, beetroot, beans, spinach, parsley, vegetable juice, bone broth

Cause

Protein deficiency

Dietary requirements

Green leafy vegetable, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, beans

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Folic acid & B₁₂ Vitaforce Nutri-B Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Potassium deficiency

Dietary requirements

Citrus fruits, bitter green leafy veg, banana, tomato, pineapple, black olives, seaweeds

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Magnesium Plus

Cause

Avenin deficiency

Dietary requirements

Oatmeal, granola, cereals, whole grains

Cause

Silicon deficiency

Dietary requirements

Horsetail herb, nuts, seeds, oats, millet, barley, onions, whole wheat, beetroot. Avoid refined starches

Cause

Tyrosine deficiency

Dietary requirements

Fruits (esp. avocado and banana), whole grains, oats, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, Vitamin C, vegetables

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Calcium Plus Vitaforce B6 Vitaforce Ladyvite Ladyvite 50+ Vitaforce Mensvite Mensvite 50+ Vitaforce Ultra A-Z

Cause

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency

Dietary requirements

Whole grains, peanuts, seeds, beans, green and yellow vegetables

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Nutri-B Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Niacin (Vitamin B3) deficiency

Dietary requirements

Peanuts, sunflower seeds, wheat bran and wheat germ

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Nutri-B Vitaforce Nutri-B Energy

Cause

Manganese deficiency

Dietary requirements

Walnuts, almonds, pecans, whole grains, green leafy veges, pineapple, blueberries

Product recommendation

Vitaforce Ladyvite Ladyvite 50+ Vitaforce Mensvite Mensvite 50+ Vitaforce Ultra A-Z Vitaforce Calcium Plus

Cause

No balanced diet, missing nutrients

Dietary requirements

Do a detox, substitute junk food for healthy meals