Help, ravenous appetite! The causes, meaning and nutrition tips

Cravings can come over you anytime and anywhere. And then you just can't resist: You have to have a piece of cream cake - and fast. But what actually causes cravings and how can you curb them quickly?

Heißhunger! Plötzlich überkommt sie einen, die unbändige Lust auf etwas Süßes! © iStock
Cravings! Suddenly you're overcome by the irrepressible desire for something sweet!

Cravings! Almost every second person knows the feeling: all of a sudden you get a craving for sweet calorie bombs or salty potato chips. But why do we get the munchies? Stress or the psyche are not always responsible for the increased appetite. Cravings can also be an indication of nutritional deficiencies. Here are the most common cravings and the associated mineral deficiencies:

Chocolate

If you often have a craving for chocolate and then not only enjoy one piece, but devour an entire bar, you could be suffering from a zinc or magnesium deficiency.

Healthy alternatives: How about nuts or sunflower seeds? Both are good sources of magnesium and zinc. If you still can't give up chocolate completely, you should opt for dark chocolate with a particularly high cocoa content. You will snack less on this than on milk chocolate.

Meat

If you often have an appetite for meat, you should have your blood values checked by a doctor. This is often due to an iron deficiency. Iron is important for blood formation, oxygen transport and physical performance.

Healthy alternatives: A steak twice a week is absolutely fine. This is because the body can absorb the power substance better from animal foods than from plant-based foods. Otherwise switch to beet and pulses.

Chips

Potato potato chips are real salt bombs and a popular snack in front of the TV in the evening. If you can't control your cravings, you could be suffering from a sodium deficiency. This mineral regulates blood pressure and our water balance, among other things.

Healthy alternatives: A handful of olives also supplies the body with sodium and is much healthier. If you don't like olives, you can also buy mineral water with a high sodium content. Simply drink a glass if necessary.

Gummy bears

Craving gummy bears? They don't just look sweet, they are sweet. There are no less than 27 sugar cubes in 100 grams of gummy bears. If you can't keep away from the bag, you might just be missing sugar. But it could also be a selenium deficiency. This trace element is primarily important for the functioning of our thyroid gland.

Healthy alternative: Dried fruit contains both fructose and selenium. And: it also tastes sweet.

Cheese

Why do I crave cheese? It may be an indication of calcium or phosphate deficiency. Both are particularly important for our bones and teeth.

Healthy alternative: Cheese is not unhealthy, but can quickly become a calorie trap due to its high fat content. Better: broccoli. It has hardly any calories and contains plenty of both minerals.