What your cravings are telling you about your body

 CALGARY- You know it well, that time of day when your cravings finally get the better of you and you reach for a chocolate bar – or maybe a bag of chips.

For some of us our sweet tooth is the problem, while others crave salty foods.

Whatever your cravings, they may mean more than you think.

“It’s a lot of simple things that our body is trying to tell us and once we learn these pieces, we can take steps to take care of ourselves,” said holistic nutritionist Amber Romaniuk.

Depending on what it is you crave, there is likely a more sensible option that doesn’t pack the calorie punch of your go-to snack.

READ MORE: 7 tips for eating healthier in 2015

You have a sweet tooth

If you crave sweets, like candy or chocolate, it is usually a sign of a magnesium deficiency or you may have an emotional connection to sweet foods, says Romaniuk.

Snacking on leafy greens, or nuts and seeds may help with this.

Dark chocolate, or chocolate with real cacao, may also do the trick.

“It’s different from cocoa, which is more refined and doesn’t have the magnesium in it that real cacao does,” says Romaniuk.

Read More: Why dark chocolate is good for our gut, heart and taste buds

Your go-to snack is always salty

People who crave salty foods often do so because of exhaustion or fatigue or again, a mineral deficiency.

Salting your foods with pink or grey Himalayan sea salt may help curve the craving and prevent you from digging into a bag of chips or other salty junk foods. Himalayan sea salts have minerals and don’t interfere with high blood pressure says Romaniuk.

You may also want to consider evaluating your stress levels, or other factors that may lead to fatigue. This could be dehydration, or a lack of sleep.

READ MORE: Salty diet leads to kidney stones and osteoporosis

You crave ice cream or other creamy foods

Creamy foods like ice cream are often thought of as comfort foods, explains Romaniuk. That means spending time with friends or family may help curve these cravings.

If you still crave comfort foods though, there are healthier options like dairy-free ice cream, or ice cream with no refined sugar, gluten or allergens.

Romaniuk suggests opting for goat cheese if you are sensitive to dairy.

READ MORE: Traditional winter comfort foods can be healthy as well as grown up

 You can’t wait to crunch down on crunchy foods

If you crave crunchy foods, it could mean you are angry or frustrated says Romaniuk.

“When you’re clenching your jaw it can actually distract us from feeling these negative emotions,” she explains.

Nuts, carrots and apples are healthy foods that can help those curve cravings , but won’t be as hard on the body or pack as many calories.