Why do people crave food?

^^ does anyone has any idea, why do people crave certain dishes or specific food?

Cause of the taste of the food that perfectly suits their taste buds,,,,just my opiniion...;)

Thanks for sharing...

I was wondering if it could be true that, you know how some people say that if you crave something, it could imply that your brain is telling you what your body needs? ( like minerals, vitamins, etc?)

I've heard that if you crave certain foods that you're really missing out on something...

like if you're craving salt your body really needs something else.

I can't, for the life of me, remember what they are though, because I have zero self control and just give in to those cravings. lol.

Lol
I guess in this case, giving in is the best option.

But now I just wonder how to know if the cravings are because the body needs something else, or if it's just a craving.. haha I guess regardless just give in to the cravings.

it wont hurt.

Its more down to sugar/salt and your appetite (depending on that individuals mood) ......

1. salt dehydrates your body and makes you drink more water (as you sweat the water out) but salt makes one more hungry as well throughout the day so depending on your metabolism you would be craving after every few hours

2. sugar (glucose) gives the body energy keeping your blood level normal to the point your not in any danger of diabetes or low blood levels ......thus energy levels up to keep one active through the day, obvious to say more sugar means obesity and health problems...etc most people crave foods that obtain sugar because its rich in sugar = taste, however this doesn't account towards low level foods because your body and brain would be craving high sugar foods which is also based upon one's appetite.

3. Appetite and mood depends on what your feeling at the time towards which foods you desire on that day, thus you wouldn't crave on another day. mood for everyone plays a part, for instance you had some trouble in your day at work, home...etc one would not eat there favorite/desired meal because they are not happy e.g. pizza, cheese burger, chocolate cake, ice cream..etc, so instead they won't eat much or end up eating something less desirable

Sometimes one can give in and eat the food they have been craving (or if your really disciplined not to eat then your ok), I admit after not eating a certain type of food for a while I give in and eat my desired food, especially when people start saying pizza!! lol

Hope that helped

Nice explanation artistry...

EL...its not the brain that tells your body what you need...it is the BODY/STOMACH THAT SENDS IMPULSE TO YOUR BRAIN THAT YOUR STOMACH IS HUNGRY...

then your brain will react to that and decided to eat..

am not good in terms of fluids and electrolytes when it comes to balancing salt and sweet in the body...

sweet..just bring any sweets in your pocket..candies,chocolates..when you were going any place...or in a class...coz if ever you feel hungry and nothing else to buy it will help you to energize...

salt...attracts water..it is water loving...so if you have some edema or swelling take low salt food..

am not good in anatomy too...lol...sorry..

just connect anything to your brain...anything your body want to do the brain is the one who signals it when to do...and if youre caught in the middle of the situation then id,ego and superego comes in.. still the brain...lol...

CRAVING...now i get it...a little bit...its your ID...id..
your id is like "i want it,,,i want it,,,i want it...i really want it..."
ID is like a child in your brain...
ID is your pleasure...so you crave to satisfy your self...you crave because the food you eat is giving yourself a pleasure.....

ITS A FREUD THEORY...lol...
I GOT IT NOW!!

Thank you EL it helps my brain to function again..
I LOVE THIS TOPIC.. (CASE CLOSED) hahahahaha...another one??

Yeah. We feel hungry and crave specific food because its evolutionarily advantageous for our body to have a way of telling us what it needs (though sometimes this sense is confused with things like chocolate that are bad for you but release endorphins.)

Dindee, say what?

Was this even a case?

I mean I thought the brain sent signals to my taste buds, as my taste buds where the one asking rather than my stomach.

It was like I had finished eating but then in 5-10 minutes, I was craving something with milk, and also shellfish..

I'm not sure why, I mean for about a whole month. I was craving mainly shellfish/clams. I ignored it and eventually one day, I saw a picture of the clams and my mouth was like watering. lol

So strange, after I had eaten it the craving stopped.

So in my case, I was not hungry. I simply crave milk and shellfish. Now I don't.

So the case is still open.

Do you have any more theories?

--- Artristy and TS125, Thanks.

Again your body probably just lacked some element, nutrient, mineral, or compound that had previously been acquired by milk and shellfish or something analogous. Not the tastebuds or the stomache but the body. Don't need to be hungry to be malnourished.

Tastebuds are incapable of needing food, they just dictate most of what something tastes like.

Hahaha...lol...hi EL...

for me..just a little play...case thing...hehehe

youre funny....=D

no...your taste buds signals your brain...and your brain knows what and when to react...

youre not hungry or you already take a meal but you still crave for those food...coz it satisfy yourself..it is a pleasure for yourself..so you really want it...

from the word want it is your id...or....

unless.................hahahahaha...
your preggy...lol...just kidding EL..
hehehe...coz craving for a month??ok fine erase that one..the idea of it makes me smile here...lol..

lets see...oh yeah...theres a theory..i forgot,i only remember the example...

theres a man and his dog..he train/taught his dog..

he had his bell...he rings his bell..the dog heard it but didnt react...

this time he get an empty basin..then rings his bell..the dog heard it and went over him and take a look at the basin and go back to its place...

this time he put a dog food on the basin and rings the bell...now the dog went over and ate the food...
then the man repeat this situation over and over again...

and this time he only got his bell...he rings it..then the dog started to salivate even if it doesnt sees its food yet..

the dog salivate coz it was in its mind that everytime the man rings the bell it is time for him to eat..

application in your case:
see your mind is already set for those food..coz you already put there that those food are delicious and good to eat...

thats why everytime you see a picture of it or just even heard it...you wanted it..even when your not hungry..

and maybe your hypothalamus (still part of the brain) is deeply inlove with those...lol...

yes...!!!case close???lol...i have to search for that theory...its in psychology....hahahah...years already passed..i have to refresh my lessons..lol..thank you...

Haha, Yeah I know about that theory, the one about the bells, I learnt it in my psychology class a while back, but I couldn't give up the chance of seeing how you would explain it. hehe Preggy, that was not even an option. Though I'm glad you reviewed your materials.

the Case is close!

TS125- Thanks, I also agree.

Hahahaha...yes!!!thank you...

i have fun on it...it makes my sleep brain awake again...

what are you taking up?

and,,grrrrrrrrrr...you know id bla bla bla too....?.hahahah...it was discussed in psychology too...

The ID thing, I don't remember it. I do remember hearing about the ego and super ego.. but I think we had to rush that section, or may be I was doodling while we went over it.

Ops...ok..i dont know if the topic was highlighted in psychology but we did it in our major subject.."psychiatric.."

The Buddhists define "craving" as "wanting things to be different from how they are." Not sure if that applies to food cravings but I believe there is a sense of deprivation associated with food cravings and often food is also used to provide comfort, reward or to fill other emotional needs. Cravings, however also have a biological basis. Food as well as other pleasures (music, sex, drugs, etc.) all work on the dopamine reward center. When we eat a food - especially sweets - animal studies show they have a similar effect on the brain's reward center as do the drugs of abuse. There are many theories as to why we crave the foods we crave.

I dont know and i honestly dont care. food is food. if i feel like eating something then hell ill eat it when i feel like it i just love food. though im sure theres some legit scientific explanation for it