Do you think that cravings are subtle messages from the body when it need certain nutrient or are they just mind-play and should be suppressed and ignored?
If the cravings are for beetroots, I usually assume that the body needs some. If they are for chocolate, I do not. 
[QUOTE=Nila;59427]If the cravings are for beetroots, I usually assume that the body needs some. If they are for chocolate, I do not. ;)[/QUOTE]
Beetroots are awesome !
Why do you discriminate chocolate? Why the body can not demand some element that is in the cacao nibs? maybe it needs some iron?
It seems very natural for the body to demand certain foods…but It might be a mistake… tricks of the mind;)
In my case, the sensation of craving is strong on my tongue and gum rather than within my stomach. As though I rather feed my tongue and gum by eating something! I realized that there must be an energy disturbance for I have quite a restless tongue and gum, which craves a lot!
Still unless you are pregnant, craving is a sign of your own body. However, it occurs to me that this is rather of tongue than stomach or gum, since the body requires the fulfillment of the “taste” sense. From this point of view, the stomach doesn’t care what it needs to have, for it works independent from brain functions anyway. What stomach usually needs is the amino acids, iron, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, potassium and so on. But this need is not a craving per se. The whole craving takes place on tongue and gum.
Eat chocolate when the tongue or gum craves. And eat slowly with awareness to prevent putting on pounds There is no trick of mind unless there has been a continuing addiction to a certain substance.
[QUOTE=CityMonk;58746]Do you think that cravings are subtle messages from the body when it need certain nutrient or are they just mind-play and should be suppressed and ignored?[/QUOTE]
Consider need to eat vs. pleasure to eat, contemplate eating to live in lieu of living to eat, enjoy your food, be thankful for it and pay attention to the subtler influence types of foods have on the mind/body, craving may be an instinct or psychological imbalance, thankfully we have choice.
In my experience, in talking with people around me and with those trying to lose weight and/or live and eat healthier…cravings spring from not eating enough. Eating too little is just as bad as eating too much, sometimes worse.
Again, In my experience, most people are bad listeners to their bodies. The body may be telling the mind it needs something, but the mind interprets it to mean something else.
Person barely eats anything at all in an attempt to lose weight until:
Body says, “Throw me some nutrition here! I need vital vitamins, minerals and trace elements now!”
Mind hears, “Wow, time for some burgers, fries and a milkshake! I better super size that too since I’m starving!”
[QUOTE=CityMonk;59564]Beetroots are awesome !
Why do you discriminate chocolate? Why the body can not demand some element that is in the cacao nibs? maybe it needs some iron?
It seems very natural for the body to demand certain foods…but It might be a mistake… tricks of the mind;)[/QUOTE]
Yes, beetroots! Cooked, baked, raw and grated with a dressing of orange juice…
Well, the craving for chocolate usually sets in when my blood sugar levels drop and I need to eat proper food, and I have also struggled with sugar addiction. Hence the non-belief in my body’s request for it
I think it’s a matter of just learning to fine-tune our listening to what the body needs and wants, as well as what happens after eating. At least that’s what I’m trying to do.
[QUOTE=High Wolf;59621]In my case, the sensation of craving is strong on my tongue and gum rather than within my stomach. As though I rather feed my tongue and gum by eating something! I realized that there must be an energy disturbance for I have quite a restless tongue and gum, which craves a lot!
Still unless you are pregnant, craving is a sign of your own body. However, it occurs to me that this is rather of tongue than stomach or gum, since the body requires the fulfillment of the “taste” sense. From this point of view, the stomach doesn’t care what it needs to have, for it works independent from brain functions anyway. What stomach usually needs is the amino acids, iron, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, potassium and so on. But this need is not a craving per se. The whole craving takes place on tongue and gum.
Eat chocolate when the tongue or gum craves. And eat slowly with awareness to prevent putting on pounds There is no trick of mind unless there has been a continuing addiction to a certain substance.[/QUOTE]
Kinda makes sense too… but I have interesting example. As a kid I used to crave eat a chalk … I would even scrape it from the walls 
and eat it. It was not a treat for my tongue…but I ate it …
When you’r tired your pancreas will crave to be spiked- craving foods particurly sugar. This is a good question because I am trying to put my husband on weight management… but he loves carrots. So I researched and found that cooked carrots assist tricky digestive systems by adding weight to the bulk. When I added foods like this that added weight and water and did not conter it (I did not increase fiber)- then he lost 10 pounds. Yes, I believe you should understand why your body is craving what.