23/01/2026
Food cravings are not random — and they are rarely caused by a single nutrient deficiency.
Cravings are influenced by a complex interaction between nutrient status, blood-sugar regulation, hormones, stress, sleep, gut–brain signalling and learned reward pathways in the brain.
Chocolate, sugar, salty foods, red meat or fried foods may reflect increased energy demands, hormonal shifts, stress load, sleep deprivation, blood-glucose fluctuations or changes in training and lifestyle — not just what’s missing on a lab test.
Understanding cravings through a physiological lens allows for more effective, sustainable nutrition choices rather than restriction or guilt.
Cravings are signals. Context is everything.
What’s been your biggest craving lately? Save this for the next time a craving hits.