If you have this habit of crunching ice or have certain food cravings regularly, you could have a nutritional deficiency. While scientific studies regarding the body’s craving for various kinds of food have not been conducted, it is possible that cravings could mean your body is lacking in something.

Dietitians believe that because expectant mothers require better nutrition, cravings may be a sign that the body needs more of a certain mineral. For example, someone who has been having a strictly vegetarian diet and suddenly craves for meat may be a signal that the body needs more iron. A craving for fruit could signal a Vitamin C deficiency. Cravings for pickles has been associated with low levels of sodium.

However, what your body craves for does not necessarily mean it is good for you. An eating disorder called pica may also cause you to have strange or unusual food cravings that could lead you to eat things that have no nutritional benefits. Weird cravings could include things like toothpaste, sand, flour and ice.

Pica has been linked to emotional or developmental problems while indicating a nutritional deficiency such as iron or calcium but there are no definite links for cravings and nutritional deficiencies. If you have a tendency for crunching unusual things, the advice would be to consult a doctor.

More common cravings are for sugar and carbohydrates when someone is unhappy or stressed or when hormone levels fluctuate. However this could be because of force of habit that makes the body crave for sugary foods when a certain mood strikes and not because of a nutritional deficiency.

Such cravings are linked more to an essential amino acid called tryptophan that helps the body secrete serotonin, a brain chemical that makes a person feel happy or calm. Sugary foods stimulate the production of tryptophan. A healthier option to achieve a similar effect is to eat some protein and a small amount of less refined carbohydrates such as buckwheat.

To prevent unhealthy snacking on sugar loaded foods, you can take more magnesium-rich foods such as green vegetables and wholegrains to deal with stress. Magnesium in your body is used up when you feel stressed, so eating magnesium-rich foods to replenish the supply may help prevent unhealthy cravings.

This is a copyright health and fitness article from HealthTips360.com