You know that feeling when you crave a bar of chocolate or a bag of chips and you can't resist these cravings? There is no sign of hunger, just an incredible urge to raid the pantry and satisfy your sweet cravings... These cravings often have nothing to do with that box of chocolates that seems to be calling your name, but nine times out of ten have a deeper cause - namely a deficiency in various nutrients. We discuss it in this blog.

Chocolate cravings

Are you incredibly craving a brownie, that bar of chocolate or a box of chocolates? Then chances are your body is actually craving extra magnesium. Chocolate contains the compound phenylethylalanine, which causes your brain to produce the neurotransmitter endorphins. This neurotransmitter makes you feel happy and joyful, which is why it is sometimes said that "chocolate makes you happy.

Magnesium deficiency can be exacerbated by stress, caffeine, alcohol and...sweets! So on your next chocolate craving, try leaving the pantry closed for a while and, for example, make a smoothie with spinach, avocado and banana - all rich in magnesium! And to indulge your chocolate craving anyway, add a scoop of CacaoMix . Delicious tasting and also rich in magnesium.

Candy cravings

Can't you walk past the candy store without salivating and a bag of winegums regularly ends up in your shopping cart? This may indicate a deficiency of the mineral chromium. A lack of chromium causes extra cravings for sweets because this mineral has a task in regulating your blood sugar levels.

The "problem" with snacking is that when you have indulged in a bag of wine gums, your blood sugar levels spike. This spike causes insulin to be released, resulting in a blood sugar dip and even more cravings for sweets!

A vicious cycle, then, which you can break by taking foods rich in the mineral chromium but less sweet and sugary. Examples are green vegetables (green beans, broccoli), whole grain cereals (be moderate with gluten) and, to a lesser extent, meat, fish and dairy products.

Want to read more about your blood sugar? Click here for tips on keeping your blood sugar stable, or read which foods can provide more stable blood sugar.

Or support your blood sugar levels with our supplement Blood Sugar Support, which includes chromium and vitamin B1!

Chips cravings

Do you crave a salt or bowl of chips on the couch night after night? And does one bowl invariably end in a whole bag? It's usually not the fried potatoes your body is asking for, but mainly the sodium they contain.

Sodium has an important function in regulating your fluid balance and for muscle contraction. In addition, together with the mineral potassium, sodium makes an important contribution to regulating your blood pressure. Sodium is the main component of salt and thus abundant in salty foods such as potato chips. 

After an evening of drinking (alcohol is diuretic), running (sweating) or a busy day with far too little to drink, your fluid balance is not in order and your body craves extra sodium. It's best to replace your bowl of chips with a few olives, some carrots or anchovies.

Bread cravings

At lunch, do you often feel more like an "old-fashioned" sandwich instead of a nutritious salad or bowl of soup? Bread is of course easy to take with you and you can vary the toppings endlessly, but it also contains the substance tryptophan. All reasons to reach for a sandwich often!

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is responsible for the production of several important substances in the brain, such as the happiness substances dopamine and serotonin, as well as the sleep hormone melatonin. So you can actually see tryptophan as the precursor to your happiness and sleep hormones. You can find this important substance in bread, but also in pasta, rice and other carbohydrate-rich foods.

Do you sometimes want to eat a little less carbohydrate? Fortunately, there are plenty of low-carb but tryptophan-rich foods like eggs, walnuts, chicken and tuna. But feel free to put bananas and prunes on your shopping list a little more often, too!

Meat cravings

Do you dream about pork chops and medium rare fried steak? Then chances are your body is screaming for extra iron. Among other things, iron plays an important role within your immune system and helps carry oxygen through your body. With an iron deficiency, you are often very tired and lifeless, have restless legs and pale skin.

If you do not eat any (or little) red meat, there is a chance of iron deficiency. Therefore, it is advisable to add foods such as lentils, spinach, nuts and pumpkin seeds to your meals!

A iron supplement can also support deficiency, in consultation with a primary care physician.