Some Facts on Food Cravings
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008I was fortunate to recently attend The Obesity Society’s annual meeting in Phoenix. This is a great educational opportunity for me since researchers from all over the world present their latest findings in weight loss and weight management. One of the best sessions I attended was about food cravings, presented by Dr. Corby Martin from Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
It may come as no surprise to you that the number one food craving is for chocolate. Cravings are not a result of food deprivation or nutritional deficiencies. So the old excuse of “my body must be missing some nutrient because I am craving _________ (fill in your food)” doesn’t amount to a hill of beans or Hershey’s kisses. Dr. Martin’s research found that people have two to four craving episodes a week and will yield to the craving about 80% of the time. That can add up to a lot of extra calories!
There are many ways to deal with food cravings but the best solution may be prevention.
People who are following a structured weight loss plan report less food cravings. In other words, following a prescribed diet plan can reduce the cravings. Structured eating has more benefits than just reducing cravings
