The lowdown on cravings

A craving for a specific kind of food can be like an evil leprechaun sitting on your shoulder, constantly nagging you to over-indulge. And going on a 'diet' to restrict what you eat can make things worse.

A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that 91 per cent of women said they had cravings when they weren't on a diet, and once they started restricting their kilojoules, that figure went up to 94 per cent.

But if you give in to your craving more often, then this is going to push you further away from your fat loss goals! The good news is that you CAN fight the cravings if you understand a little more about them.

1. Cravings are all about your blood sugar. TRUE. If your blood sugar levels stay pretty consistent throughout the day, then your eating patterns should too. It's when you're starving yourself for hours that the cravings start - and blood sugar can drop way too low even after about four hours of not eating.
2. Chewing gum can help reduce cravings. TRUE. A 2009 study showed that chewing gum after eating lunch can help to reduce snack cravings, and decrease the consumption of sweet food.
3. Cravings are the body's way of saying that it needs certain nutrients. FALSE. Researchers have found no evidence that this is the case for the vast majority of the most commonly craved foods. Beware of those 'hunger imposters'. If you've eaten an hour ago but crave Tim Tams or a packet of chips - it could be that your brain is playing tricks on you. If this sounds like you, then try a visual distraction. Researchers from the Flinders University of Adelaide have found this may help to reduce the urge rather than just 'thinking about something else'.
4. Eating the same thing everyday can increase your cravings. TRUE. Its seems that variety could really be the spice of life. A study in the journal Obesity found that always eating the same kind of foods can actually increase your number of cravings.