Curb those cravings: The tasty yet nutritious answers to the midafternoon slump
Joy McCarthy explains what to reach for instead when you’re craving sugar, salt and carbs
Cravings can strike at anytime of the day. Whether it's when you walk by a vending machine or when you hit that afternoon slump, a bag of chips suddenly becomes oh so tempting. It turns out that cravings can be both nutritional and emotional, so thankfully holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy knows how to address our cravings without sacrificing good nutrition.
Before you cave in to a craving, ask yourself why you're having the craving. Do you have an unmet need? Are you eating for comfort or trying to beat stress? If not, it might be a non-emotional craving caused by an imbalance with your diet. But before you figure what your craving is, the most important thing is to determine whether or not you are just dehydrated, because lot of people confuse thirst with hunger. Joy recommends having a glass of water before snacking and see if you feel satisfied. If not, you're definitely craving something to eat.
Craving salt
Salt cravings can mean that you are lacking protein and you might be over-salting your food. The more salt you eat, the more salt you crave. Instead, Joy recommends you have some crunchy lightly-salted roasted almonds. Roast them yourself to control the amount of salt added. This protein-filled snack is going to balance your blood sugar and you'll feel much more satisfied than after a bag of chips.
Craving sugar
If you can't stop thinking about a sugary snack, it usually means you are craving fat. Here's a great snacking tip: the next time you're at a party and reach for a second cupcake, eat a piece of cheese first. Fat can balance out your cravings, taking the edge of the hunger. A mid-afternoon snack like apple slices with almond butter and honey is a sweet but healthy treat that can also help curb your sugar craving.
Craving carbs
A craving for carbs needs to be balanced with filling fats and protein. A big bowl of pasta is delicious, but is totally imbalanced, so add some protein and fat and you'll feel fuller, longer. For a healthier meal, have a salmon filet on the side, toss in some pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese for extra nutrition, and you'll have filled up on protein and fat instead of just empty carbs — as delicious as they may be.