Nut craving why

Food cravings are very common. Unlike hunger, cravings are characterized by an intense desire for a specific food, such as peanut butter.

Restricted eating and dieting have both been linked to an increase in food cravings. Peanut butter is a nutritionally-rich food, which contains phytonutrients, such as beta-sitosterol. One study on animals indicated that beta-sitosterol may have value as an antidepressant. Anecdotal evidence also indicates that beta-sitosterol helps reduce feelings of anxiety, possibly by stabilizing cortisol, a hormone released during times of stress.

Stress has also been shown in animal studies , to trigger cravings of high-fat foods. Peanut butter contains many nutrients, including:. This might cause you to crave peanut butter. Peanut butter is also thought to be a common craving among people on low-carbohydrate eating plans. Low-sugar varieties of peanut butter are an approved food on many low-carb diets.

People eating low-carb diets may crave peanut butter as a carbohydrate substitute, because of its slightly sweet taste, satisfying texture, and nutritional makeup.

Craving peanut butter does not represent an underlying medical condition or a health hazard. There may also be a connection between nutrients and cravings, but this hasn't been proven except in cases of severe deficiencies such as craving ice when iron deficient. Even so, depending on your diet and lifestyle, certain nuts may be extra beneficial.

Here are some things to consider next time the craving hits. At the basic level, hormones are the root cause of most cravings, but they can signal both physical and physiological needs.

Hormones like ghrelin and leptin control hunger and satiety to ensure you're eating enough to keep moving. But more often than not, cravings for specific foods - especially sugar and simple carbs - are actually cravings triggered by our brains and not our bellies. High fat, high sugar, and high carbohydrate foods give us a hit of feel-good hormone serotonin, which explains why we often reach for these types of snacks when we're feeling sad or stressed.

Food and taste are also linked closely linked to memory and reward, so we often crave certain foods when exposed to certain situations or emotions. This explains why, for example, you might crave a peppermint mocha around the holidays but never think of it the rest of the year. If you're craving nuts or nut butter, the first culprits to look to are the triggers for any craving.

Are you stressed? Nuts are high in healthy fats, and one study showed that stress could lead to cravings of high fat foods. Many nuts like pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts are high in a compound called beta-sitosterol, and limited studies show that beta-sitosterol may have an antidepressant effect and a stabilizing effect on the stress hormone cortisol.

If your cashew cravings are due to PMS, your cravings will likely come at the same time each month but may vary slightly in their severity. Physical activity with your doctor's approval, eating high-fiber and complex carbohydrate foods, increasing your calcium intake and taking a multivitamin may help reduce symptoms of PMS, including your cashew cravings.

A magnesium deficiency may lead you to crave nuts, such as cashews. Magnesium is essential for proper muscle function and strong bones, and deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, muscle cramps and insomnia. An ounce of cashews provides 83 milligrams of magnesium, or 21 percent of the daily value for this essential mineral. Chocolate is another good source of magnesium and a commonly craved food.

Other sources of magnesium include dark green vegetables, other nuts, seeds and whole grains. We can deliver the Nut Cravings products speedily without the hassle of shipping, customs or duties. Desertcart buys Nut Cravings products directly from the authorised agents and verifies the authenticity of the products.

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