Where do cravings come from?

Question

Yesterday I was craving chinese food for dinner all day. And not just any chinese food, I was craving wonton soup and peanut chicken. My question is where exactly do cravings come from, and do you notice that when you crave something you can almost actually taste it? I mean does your brain think you're already eating this thing and starts producing a taste from you memory or something. Please someone tell me the answer! :-D Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

they actually come from what your body needs to work , say if you had something very salty from the chinese a while back, your brain will remember, and when you are in need of salt again it will make you want the foods that give it you,

Answer 2

I believe the sub-conscious part of your brain plays a big role on cravings.

Somewhere in the "back burner" we have created relationships with food and states of mind.

So, it is likely that if, for example you are feeling stressed and chinese food or wonton soup is somehow tied up with a "feeling good" memory of previous times, your brain digs that mental-food connection right out of somewhere..., sends the message to your tastebuds and the next thing you know you are eating chinese food or wonton soup!

:-)

Answer 3

Often when we crave things, so I've read, it's our bodys way of letting us know that we are lacking something in our diet... so we crave whatever will supply us with the vitamins, protien, or whatever it may be, that we are in short supply of.

You have an amazing brain and extraordinary recall... what you're describing ("tasting" the food that you are craving), although not completely unheard of, is not terribly common.

So did you getcha some Chinese yumminess?!
MMMMMMmmmmmmm *drool*
=)

Answer 4

i heard on a tv show that it is a chemical reaction in the brain, and that it can be brought on by even the way we do eat, not sure if that part is true though, i personally think it is just something that happens when you have a thought about what to eat and then you want it all day long.

Answer 5

cravings can come from 2 sources. something you're used to eating at certain point in time or your body tells you it needs a certain type of food. if you're low on salt it wants salty food.

Answer 6

Not sure, but I just got a craving from looking at your pic here, wow my taste buds are watering

Answer 7

I was told that cravings are your bodies way of telling you that you are lacking some vitamins or mineral and that the foods we crave contain them. Years ago a woman craved coffee grounds, and would eat them plain(uughh) she finally went to the Dr. and found she was lacking in niacin, started taking it and never ate coffee grounds again.

Answer 8

I've heard that they come from a lack of something in your body such as craving pasta means carbs etc.

Answer 9

Your brain does send memory waves
mabey a picture or something trigers it depending on what that may be. Its scientifical but w/e

Answer 10

watch the movie "what the bleep do we know" on google videos it explains some of that and other things.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7549858969748447007&q=what++the+bleep+do+we+know+duration%3Along&total=36&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7