5 reasons why you crave carbs

A lot of times my clients come to me craving carbs, and automatically feel guilty. As a registered dietitian/nutritionist I am here to say there is nothing wrong with you if you crave carbs. There are actually emotional and physiological reasons why you crave carbs, you just need to be in tuned to what they are, and what your body might be trying to tell you. Here are the most common reasons why you may be craving carbs, and what to do about them.

You’re not eating enough carbs!
The number one reason why you crave carbs is because you’re not eating enough carbs. THERE I SAID IT. Diet culture has vilified carbs for too many years now, and the result of that is lots of people afraid to eat carbs, and also craving carbs like crazy. All of the cells in your body need carbohydrates for energy, and when the body doesn’t get enough it has a very straightforward way of telling you. The same goes for not eating enough in general - underfueling will often result in cravings for carbs and sweets because those are the foods that can give the body much-needed energy fairly quickly. The solution here is truly, include carbs with every meal and snack.

It’s the second half of your menstrual cycle
If you crave carbs in the two weeks leading up to your period, you are not alone. Women tend to crave carbohydrates during the luteal phase (or, the ~14 days after ovulation leading up to your period) because it’s harder for the body to utilize stored carbs during this time. This means you have to obtain more carbohydrates from food, and your carbohydrate needs go up. Increasing your carbohydrate intake during the luteal phase is especially important for endurance athletes, as their bodies have more difficulty pulling energy from glycogen stores during sustained activity and more carbs in the diet are necessary to counteract this change.

You’re stressed
And who’s not these days? Carbohydrates support serotonin production, which is the “feel good” hormone helpful during stressful times and in those experiencing depression. This is one of the reasons why carb cravings are so common when feeling emotional, stressed or sad. When stressed, a natural “scarcity mindset” may also happen, which triggers the body to consume quick energy (i.e., carbs) and store them for later. It can be helpful to explore various coping mechanisms to use when you feel stressed, like journaling, reading, going for a walk, chatting with a friend or family member, or therapy.

You’re skipping meals
Skipping meals can result in a drop in blood sugar that triggers the body to crave foods that can raise the blood sugar fairly quickly. Those foods, as you may have guessed, are carbs. I always encouraged my clients to make sure they eat at least every 3-4 hours to help keep blood sugar, and energy levels, steady.

You’re not sleeping
Lack of sleep may increase the body’s production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, causing you to feel more hungry, more often. Not sleeping enough also means your body is awake for longer, and therefore needs more energy to continue moving, thinking and staying alert while you’re awake. Aiming for between 7-9 hours of sleep per night is a good goal here.

For more information on working with me, please visit my website