Your Carbohydrate Cravings: Normal or Not?
March 31, 2009
To decide if your carb cravings in winter are normal or not, analyze them, suggests Wurtman and Edward Abramson, PhD, a psychologist and professor emeritus at California State University, Chico, who wrote the book Emotional Eating. Ask yourself these three questions:
Are the cravings seasonal?
The carb cravings associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) have ups and downs by season, says Wurtman. “It has to be present in the fall and winter and has to disappear in the spring and summer,” she says, to be associated with the most common type of SAD. (Other SAD symptoms: extreme fatigue, sleeping too much, weight gain, difficulty concentrating.) “It may take a year before you know that is what it is,” Wurtman says.
What happens right before the craving hits?
“Craving is associated with emotional turmoil of some sort,” Abramson says. That turmoil might be depressed mood.
What time of day are the cravings strongest?
Carbohydrate cravers are most likely to experience them in the late afternoon and evening, Abramson says. That could be because the kinds of emotions that tend to contribute to cravings get worse as the day goes on, he says, especially if your depression is mild. You may be caught up in the hustle and bustle of work and family all day, and then, when things calm down, become bummed out, for instance, that your spouse is paying more attention to TV than to you, he says.
Carbohydrate Cravings: The Brownie Fan
Consider the carbohydrate craver once counseled by Wurtman, whose cravings were clearly out of control.
- In the summer, the woman worked in an office all day and regularly walked for exercise after work. But as soon as the days grew shorter and the temperature dropped, the women told Wurtman she would go home and hole up, too tired to go anywhere.
One evening, feeling more depressed than usual, she got a craving for a brownie from her favorite bakery, four blocks away. She bundled up and walked to the bakery to get some brownies. “I have to have those brownies,” she told Wurtman. And that is the type of craving linked with seasonal depression, she says.
Carbohydrate Cravings: Healthier ComfortIf you’ve decided your carbohydrate cravings are out of control and you may be depressed, experts suggest seeking help from your physician or therapist.
On your own, you can also gain some control over the carbohydrate cravings. Here’s how:
Time your eating to accommodate your cravings. Experts agree the carb cravings grow stronger as the day goes on. So eat as healthfully as possible at breakfast and lunch, focusing on protein-rich foods, Wurtman says. ”In the afternoon, by the time the sun and your mood start sinking, have a carb snack — popcorn or breakfast cereal — around 4 p.m.” Then for dinner, choose pasta, rice, or waffles.
Focus on carbs that are “slow foods.” One of Tribole’s favorites: hot chocolate. “You get carbs in the milk and the sweetened chocolate,” she says. “It’s hard to guzzle hot chocolate, so you are going to savor it.”
Turn to carb-rich stews. Try soups and stews with plenty of carbs, such as potatoes, in the winter, Tribole says. Besides filling you up and satisfying the carb craving, it can help when you don’t feel like cooking. ”Cook the stews once on the weekend,” Tribole says, suggesting a big pot full, “and you’ve got meals the rest of the week.”
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