These 5 Common Nutritional Deficiencies Make You Overeat

Have you lately been getting a strong urge to eat mouthfuls of chocolate post lunch or potato chips between meals? And, you tell yourself hundred times not to eat it, but then you see someone eating potato chips and you suddenly fail to control anymore. Then in just a few minutes, you are at the pantry eating like a fanatic. You perhaps always thought that it all happens due to a lack of your willpower, but it turns out being low or having a deficiency of certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants may cause you to crave everything from popcorn to burger to French fries. The sad part is that you may not necessarily crave for what you actually need. Know which common nutrient deficiencies are making you overeat. 

Calcium and Magnesium

Deficiency of calcium and magnesium makes you crave for sugar and salt. Low levels of magnesium may also trigger chocolate cravings. However, eating too much sugar or being under stress can deplete these minerals from your body, making you a prime candidate for stress eating. You need to include more dairy products in your diet like yoghurt, cheese and milk and dark leafy vegetables to fix the deficiency of calcium. To treat magnesium deficiency, you will need to eat nuts, seeds, potato skins, dry fruits and broccoli. 

B Vitamins

B vitamins are essential for your body to deal with stress. B6 and B9 help regulate your mood by forming certain neurotransmitters. When you are depressed, your body makes use of these vitamins, making you overeat. Other foods that can deplete vitamin B are alcohol, caffeine, refined sugar and medications like birth control pills. Fix the deficiency by eating foods like meats, seafood, dairy, dark leafy vegetables, bananas, potatoes, avocados, egg yolk, chicken, salmon and yoghurt.  

Zinc

The content of this mineral is low in depressed or old people. Deficiency of zinc may not make you crave, but it can dull your sense of taste. This will prompt you to add more salt and sugar to your foods. You should include oysters, crab, liver, dark chicken meat, lesser extent, eggs, green peas, and nuts in your diet. 

Iron

Have you ever wondered why you crave for a burger when you are down? Well, it is because you have a deficiency of iron. Eat meat, poultry, fish, dried fruits, cashews, pumpkin seeds and iron-enriched pasta and grains. 

Omega-3s

If you are craving for pizzas and other foods that are full of cheese, you could have a deficiency of omega-3s. Include foods such as salmon, sardines and tuna to fix this problem. If you are vegetarian, you should include eggs in your diet to get ample amount of omega-3s. 

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