What are you craving?

Research up in the air over whether there is a direct connection between cravings and nutritional deficiencies

It’s 4:27, and you suddenly want Cheez-Its but you don’t know why. Many a craver has puzzled over why they want the foods they suddenly can’t live without. While many studies have been done to discover why we crave the things we do, most have had inconclusive results.

“The reason for cravings is really unknown and poorly understood,” says registered dietician and nutrition professor at Boston University, Joan Salge Blake. “Some may have biological underpinnings, [or are tied to] behavioral habits.”

That data aside, there are strong correlations between the foods we eat and the nutrients they provide, which help to manufacture neurotransmitters.

“Neurotransmitters are certain nerve chemicals that our bodies store,” explains registered dietitian Michelle Bravo of Mercy Medical Center. “When there’s a disruption in them, that can have major effects on mental, physical or emotional processes.” Therefore, be sure to get your fill of the nutrient-rich foods that foster continued production of those neurotransmitters.