SCIENCE • FOOD CRAVINGS
The Science behind Cravings AUTHOR: MENOSHA SIVA
With the upcoming summery days,
(think along the lines of potato chips,
my mind is constantly filled with
fries, buttered popcorn), chocolate,
trying to find the best way possible to
and fatty fast food such as burgers or
do something fun – be it learning to
pizza. This idea was based on the
ride a bike at the ripe age of 21 or
”wisdom of the body” – a theory that
experiencing the cool, refreshing
the body knows what nutrients are
water of the Nordic lakes by fine-
deficient and pushes us to crave
tuning my cannonball skills.
foods that are rich in said nutrients.
However, there seems to be one
However, this theory has been
incessant, nagging feeling in the
abandoned due to the overwhelming
back of my mind – cravings. The
amount of research disproving it. For
scorching sun somehow makes me
example, one study revealed that
crave ice creams, watermelons,
obese adults put on a low-carb diet
colas and other sugary and delicious
for two years reported having
snacks. Naturally, that got me
significantly decreased cravings for
thinking, what is the reason I yearn
carbohydrates and sugar.
for hot chocolate during the winter,
Furthermore, experts clarify that we
and cocktails during the summer? In
tend to lose our appetites and veer
fact, why do I have random urges to
away from our daily diets when we
eat chocolates regardless of the
have a severe nutrition deficiency.
season? So then, why do we crave certain
12
I was glad to find out that I am not
foods? Well, people tend to crave
alone in my seemingly unexplainable
food that generally has a high calorie
cravings. Many people around the
content, leading experts to believe
world tend to crave and indulge in
there may be evolutionary
their “guilty pleasure” foods.
connections. Thousands of years
Statistically, 68% of men and a
ago, food was much scarcer and
whopping 97% of women have
hard to obtain. People had to hunt or
experienced cravings at one point in
cultivate their own food. Famine was
their lives. Globally, the most
rampant – almost as rampant as fast
common cravings include salty foods
food chains in this day and age.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
