Ask Lemmy

There's a connection between the bacteria living in your digestive tract and your brain. The specifics of this are not fully understood yet. Your gut bacteria do a substantial amount of digestion for you, breaking down the food you eat into molecules that your intestines can absorb. The bacteria live in your intestine because they also consume some of the food that you eat. The research suggests that the bacteria can send signals to your brain that influence what you choose to eat - so that you eat things that they also eat.

Your cravings might not actually be 'yours', in a sense.

I would love to think my body truly needs the six pack I bought today.

There’s a theory that says this is the case (I can’t remember the name) but if it was accurate it’s probably been thoroughly destroyed by the modern diet which is laden with foods that push reward cravings (like excessive carbohydrates)

It's indictive of a basic reward system in your brain.

Rarely. Common food cravings follow a druglike addiction pathway more than a nutrient deficiency one. Beyond the known drugs in your food like the sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, you'll crave weird features like the texture, blandness, or familiarity. Pay no mind to the unrecognizable chemical ingredient cocktail known only to increase profits.

Here is my personal take: if it's for sugar or fat, no. Otherwise, could be.

Sometimes. Like if you are really low in iron, you can get pica. Happened to me when I was pregnant. So weird.

Makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint; "I'm thirsty. I don't crave water. I get dehydrated and die" vs "I'm thirsty. I get water. I don't die and have babies with Bob" - the person who had a craving passes on their genes

An indirect form of this should work

• When you need more X, you might feel certain symptoms. Eating more of X will make you feel better
• Over time you associate the two things together, even if you don't understand the science of why

Type 1 diabetic here.

Hypoglycemia will trigger cravings for any food, no specific craving, just a feeling of "I need to eat or drink as much as I can and don't stop." It actually took me so long to limit myself to only eaying the necessary carbs to get blood sugar above 80 again instead of constantly bullwhipping my blood sugar from 50 to 300 and then correcting it below 180.

Hyperglycemia will trigger the most insane dehydration and craving to drink everything I can get my hands on and never stop.

I've noticed a distinct difference in how good/strong salt tastes at times. I suspect it's electrolyte embalance and/or dehydration usually. But I'm just making guesses.

Yeah, I reckon that's definitely a thing. Have you heard of how some pregnant women want to eat dirt? Because creating a child reqires many trace minerals that are commonly found in dirt.

I do recon this sense can be corrupted by modern over proceeded shit.