Ever find yourself with a hankering for leftover pizza with a glass of milk, a cold hot dog
dipped in peach jelly, or a margarine-smeared Pop-Tart?
As much as we'd like to blame that sudden yen for a big, bloody rib eye on an iron deficiency,
is malnutrition really the culprit, or are our minds and hearts as liable as our bodies?
In light of studies suggesting that a mix of biological, psychological, and sociocultural
factors play a role, these are what those weird food cravings really mean.
Raw fish
Today, there isn't a grocery store that doesn't carry prepackaged nigiri along with poke,
ceviche, and other uncooked seafood specialties that once were hard to find.
"What does it smell like...uh, seaweed"
But its very availability may explain its allure: Research on sushi cravings among Japanese
women showed that we humans are conditioned by our cultural surroundings to want what
we want.
But we may also have been won over by the soft consistency of raw fish.
According to NPR, because they aren't taxed by gravity, fish don't develop strong muscles,
so their flesh retains the "smooth texture" we associate with many comfort foods much
like oatmeal, or pudding.
Y'know, just like you remember from childhood.
"Here.
You need this more than me."
Oysters
On the half-shell, smoked from the tin, or broiled and topped with bacon, oysters have
a pull unlike most other types of seafood: They're aphrodisiacs.
"OK, let's get this over with.
Don't you wanna have some room service strawberries and oysters?
No.
I do this better on an empty stomach"
Back in 2005, Dr. George Fisher, a chemistry professor at Barry University, discovered
that oysters — as well as mussels and clams contain two special amino acids.
And injecting those acids into male and female rats led to an uptick in the production of
testosterone and progesterone.
Fisher told The Telegraph,
"They are not the normal amino acids that Mother Nature uses.
You can't just find them in a vitamin shop.
[…] Increased levels of those hormones in the blood means you are more active sexually."
And according to Prevention, zinc can be lacking "in older people and anyone under a lot of
stress."
If that's you, you may notice that you're craving salty foods, like zinc-packed oysters!
Refuel on your minerals, and then hit the hay with your favorite Naked Cowboy.
"Naked Cowboy oysters.
Naked Cowboys are wild oysters pulled straight from the Long Island Sound."
Chilis
From salsa to Sriracha and curry to kimchi, an addiction to spicy foods can seem like
a painful way to get your rocks off.
"Sriracha"
But as Northwestern University reported, the sensations caused by the offending plant compounds
called capsaicinoids release mood-boosting endorphins and dopamine.
Meaning hotheads are getting pleasure from the pain.
And it's likely that you'll crave more and more.
"Frank's red hot sauce.
I put that s--- on everything"
In sun-drenched climates where they're more prevalent, spicy foods also have real health
benefits: the sweat they cause cools the body, while their antimicrobial properties help
prevent illnesses.
"I guess I'm just into trying new things"
Sweet and savory
It's practically an American pastime to dip fries into milkshakes, eat chocolate with
bacon in it, and toss popcorn with candy.
"The ice cream truck is parked directly in front of my house, it's like life is a dream.
Oh s---.
I don't do ice cream it's like sweet mucus"
Yes, we require some sodium for survival, and sugar is a critical source of energy.
But why do we go gaga for them together?
The answer is actually quite simple: If one is good, two is better.
iO9 reported that our taste buds can tire of single flavors quickly, but,
"[…] more complicated, blended flavors […] entice us even more and more each time we try them."
"No one can resist my Shweddy balls"
With respect to salt and sugar cravings, food developer Barb Stuckey, author of TASTE: Surprising
Stories and Science About Why Food Tastes Good, says,
"The combination of these two positive biological responses is VERY pleasurable.
To use an analogy, it's akin to hearing beautiful music while sniffing rose petals: two positive
sensory stimuli."
Peanut butter
Peanut butter is salty and sweet at the same time of course we're nuts about it.
And those peanuts are also high in healthy fats which can contribute to a lower risk
of heart disease, according to Harvard Medical School.
"OK, so which one tasted better?
Steve.
Yeah the guy.
With Lisa I only tasted peanut butter and chocolate.
Lisa had just eaten a peanut butter cup"
But there's another reason it goes down so easy: its texture.
Nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner told HuffPost,
"Peanut butter's low chewing demand and low-water content are both factors that make it easy
to gobble a lot at once.
[…] Things that are creamy without much chewing needed aren't as filling as foods
that have more chewing involved."
"Peanut butter man, now, are you sir?
Yes.
I believe I am.
I certainly enjoyed this peanut butter"
The white stuff
Craving potatoes, bread, and pasta isn't that weird but the impulse to cram them down our
throats to the point of discomfort isn't exactly healthy.
CNN's Lisa Drayer says of carbs:
"They are key to regulating blood sugar and providing energy throughout our bodies."
So it's not just the taste of these foods that makes us keep eating them.
In actuality, it's our bodies trying to restore our blood sugar.
The problem is that we tend to satisfy the urge with simple carbs, which, according to
Shape digest faster, kick in quickly, and also dissipate sooner.
Drayer says,
"[These] rapid rises and drops in blood sugar can lead to weight gain.
[…] The more processed, refined carbs we eat, the more we crave."
It doesn't help that we tend to slather our carbs with calorie-dense fats or even more
carbs.
When you mix that macaroni with cheese, or smear your toast with Nutella , you're layering
crave-worthy food on crave-worthy food.
"Chocolate is a happy flavor.
It's America's favorite."
So maybe indulging your cravings isn't the best choice to make on the daily.
But as far as we're concerned, what happens in your kitchen stays in your kitchen.