The best way to satisfy your cravings

There’s an infographic that’s been circulating for a long, long time, and it says something along the lines of, “If you’re craving (chocolate/salty foods/pasta and other carbs/etc.), what your body actually needs is (abc vitamins or micronutrients), so you should eat (xyz foods instead).”

While I do encourage eating a well-balanced diet in which you’re consuming a number of different vitamins and minerals through food, I also have to ask; what’s so bad about satisfying our cravings?

Some people will argue that…

• junk food will make you gain weight
• junk food is unhealthy
• junk food isn’t good when you’re dieting

And I’m here to tell you that

1. total calorie intake matters for body composition far more than specific food choices
2. calorie dense foods (notice I didn’t refer to them as “junk foods”) consumed in moderation are not necessarily unhealthy
3. giving yourself permission to have treats and indulgences in moderation can actually help to increase dietary adherence when you’re dieting, and dietary adherence is what generates results

If you’re dieting or simply trying to eat healthier, good for you.

But if you’re craving a burrito, a piece of chocolate, or a donut,

have the burrito, the piece of chocolate, or the donut and move on.