Craving chocolate, chips or carbs? Your body may be sending an important signal

While we may crave certain foods year-round, our comfort food cravings tend to kick up a notch during the winter.

However, it is not always a physical need that inspires these tastes. Yes, cold weather can mean we use more energy and need food to help conserve heat, but often our cravings can be more psychological – an emotional support when we’re feeling down.

That said, if our cravings are for unhealthy foods that contain high amounts of sugar, fat, and salt, we may end up feeling worse because we’re not nourishing our bodies properly.

With this in mind, Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor explains to Yahoo UK what our bodies are actually needed when we have cravings and suggests healthier exchanges.

Common cravings and healthier food swaps

Sweets and chocolate

According to Dr. Ashrafi, it’s common for people to like a sweet treat in the evening. A recent survey, for example, found that one in five adults craves sugar after dinner or late at night.

“When sugar is consumed, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose, raising blood glucose levels and triggering the release of insulin, allowing cells to use it for immediate fuel,” explains the expert.

“This produces a short-term increase in perceived energy and stimulation, which helps explain why sweets are craved later in the day, when people often feel mentally or physically exhausted.”

However, because refined sugar is digested quickly, blood sugar can drop soon after.

“This results in a ‘crash’ that can cause fatigue, reduced concentration, and renewed hunger,” continues Dr. Ashrafi. “Some studies have linked low magnesium intake with an increased preference for sweets, although the stronger factor is usually unstable blood sugar rather than a true deficiency.”

What the body usually lacks when it craves sugar is sustained energy and satiety—not the sugar itself.

Healthier Exchanges:

“Instead of going for a sweet snack, choose options that combine healthier carbs with protein or fat. These can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce rebound cravings,” says Dr. Ashrafi.

He suggests:

• A small portion of dark chocolate with nuts

Sweet drinks

Cravings for sugary drinks are often driven by dehydration or unstable blood sugar, rather than our bodies specifically needing sugar, according to the doctor.

“When our fluid intake is low, the brain can misinterpret this as hunger rather than just thirst,” he says.

“When sugary drinks are consumed, they create a sudden spike in blood sugar followed by a sharp drop, which can further trigger cravings for faster-absorbing carbohydrates, such as more sugary drinks.

“This creates a cycle of cravings without addressing the need to rehydrate or increase sustained energy, because what the body lacks are consistent fluids and fuel.”

Healthier Exchanges:

“In addition to making sure you’re hitting your recommended fluid target, which is about 2 to 2.5 liters of fluid a day, or more for those who are physically active, you can throw in some healthier swaps that offer a slight sweetness and flavor, all while providing hydration and avoiding craving-perpetuating glucose spikes,” adds Dr. Ashrafi.

He suggests:

• Sparkling water with lemon or berries

Fried, fatty foods

Sometimes the appetite for takeout is simply the ease of getting food; however, if you’re really craving fried food, Dr. Ashrafi notes that it’s likely due to low satiety and poor quality fat in your diet.

“Dietary fats help slow digestion and support satiety, but when meals are devoid of healthy fats and proteins, hunger hormones rise, leaving the brain to seek out energy-dense foods,” he says.

“Fried foods strongly stimulate reward pathways, but offer limited nutritional benefits. When the body craves these types of foods, it’s missing a slow-digesting source of energy and essential fatty acids, not fried items.”

Healthier Exchanges:

Instead of going through food delivery apps, the doctor suggests opting for foods that help you feel fuller or provide beneficial fats.

He suggests:

• Baked potatoes or wedges

• Foods made with olive oil, nuts, seeds or fatty fish

Salty foods

“Salt cravings are more often related to dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance than an actual sodium deficiency,” the GP tells Yahoo UK. “After sweating, stress or simply not drinking enough water, the body seeks flavors associated with fluid retention and reward. However, most adults in the UK already consume more salt than is recommended, so cravings usually reflect behavior and hydration rather than a true need for more sodium in their diet.”

These salty cravings may signal that your body is probably lacking essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, rather than simply needing more sodium.

Healthier Exchanges:

Dr. Ashrafi advises, “If you’re craving salty foods, you should first make sure you’re well-hydrated, then try swapping your usual salty foods for lower-sodium alternatives. This will help maintain hydration and electrolyte balance without increasing your sodium intake.”

He suggests:

• Lightly Spiced Popcorn

Carbohydrates

“Refined carbohydrate cravings tend to occur in a similar way to sugary snack cravings; they usually occur when the body needs accessible energy and better appetite regulation,” the doctor notes.

“If the meals you eat are low in fiber, protein or total calories, hunger hormones rise and the brain looks for fuel quickly. These refined carbohydrates are digested quickly, which temporarily meets the body’s energy needs, but then fails to keep it full for a long period of time.

Healthier Exchanges:

Consider swapping out your favorite carbs for whole grain alternatives, and ideally pair them with a protein source.

According to the expert, this combination slows digestion, stabilizes glucose and helps reduce cravings.

He suggests:

• Wholemeal bread or pasta

• Proteins such as eggs, beans, chicken, fish or tofu