Sometimes their origin is partly psychological. People who have SAD respond to decreased exposure to light during the winter months by becoming irritable and depressed. While cravings may reflect your state of mind, they can also indicate that your body is experiencing a change worthy of medical attention. For example, people with diabetes often crave carbohydrates, explains Dr. Levitsky. And some nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of iron , can set up cravings.
Some people are more susceptible to food cravings than others.
People who are battling eating disorders are particularly vulnerable, according to Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., professor and director of the Human Nutrition Program at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor. And women are much more likely than men to decide they simply have to eat certain foods. These cravings could be attributed to monthly changes in taste sensitivity, says Robin Kanarek, Ph.D., professor of psychology and physiological psychologist at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. Because nausea often accompanies the onset of pregnancy, Dr. Levitsky explains, a woman's digestive system will only tolerate certain foods. She's likely to reach for the things she finds particularly soothing or comforting.