Specific Veggie Cravings

[MissKat]

Once in a while I'll experience veggie cravings in which I will crave one particular veggie. And if I don't eat it, I'll be consumed w/ thoughts of it till I finally have some.

For more years than I can remember, I use to have constant cravings for carrots. Now I never do, and will rarely have a carrot unless it's for a particular recipe. Strange why now after all these years my carrot cravings are gone ... hmmm?

My periodic cravings are cucumber and cilantro.

For the month of April I've had watercress cravings, something I very rarely crave. I can't even remember the last time I craved it or ate it, maybe a year ago. Not sure what's going on w/ this, but I find the intense craving w/ watercress interesting. So again tonight I had to cook/eat watercress and I'm now feeling content :lol: No more obsessive thoughts ... whew!

Does anyone else experience specific veggie cravings? If yes, what do you crave? And do you know why you have these cravings?

[Firestorm]

I sometime crave broccoli or sprouts. I don't get consumed with thoughts of them but I do tend to get a hankering for them!

[Blueberries]

I don't eat it, I'll be consumed w/ thoughts.

obsessive thoughts..


I have to say this is what jumped out for me. Obviously because it is vegetables it is not doing you any harm but the obessive thoughts sound a bit OCD-ish. Definitely not pleasent though.

[harpy]

I'd forgotten, but at one time I used to have the watercress one - suppose it could be iron related, or maybe it's just because I like it a lot! Don't think science supports a link between deficiencies and cravings, but who knows.

I don't think I was obsessive about it - I would go out and buy it and eat it straight away though.

[MissKat]

I had an eating disorder when I was in my late teens. That probably accounts for my obsessive thoughts w/ food even though I'm an adult now. But yea, I totally have OCD. My biggest OCD is that all labels face forward and things are lined up in a row whether it's the kitchen pantry, fridge, bathroom, shower, etc.. I'm an overall OCD neat freak. The upside is my place is always clean and organized :bigsmile2:

Whoops ... got side tracked & off the subject :rollseyes_ani:

The great thing about being vegan and eating healthy (rarely eat junk food) I can indulge in my veggie cravings :thumbsup: I just find food cravings interesting.

[Astrid660]

^I used to be ED'd too. Still struggle a bit with various aspects of it, but I try to fight the thoughts :o OT but you'd hate my place, I have 12 parrots. Good luck being neat and tidy when they think everything belongs on the floor! lol I've given up trying to be neat. I keep it tolerable, but those little feathered kids are always messing things up!

I don't crave specific veggies per say.. I definitely crave other things though! I have to fight it. The other day I was craving eggs benedict so bad (I can admit it! Going on 1 yr vegan, I get sporadic cravings :)) Anyway I had to make some tofu benedict and it totally hit the spot XD

IDK actually, on second thought. I really love red peppers and I crave those like mad sometimes! Fresh, not cooked.

[micthemini]

My cravings are usually for marg and sugar together (the basis for my vegan biscuits and for cakes).
I think it must be something to do with the omega in the marg, or it could be my hormonal migraines kicking in craving sweet stuff, or it just could be me ;)
I think sometimes our bodies tell us what we need, but if you're obsessing about it, that's slightly different.

[Anaj]

During the Winter months, I ate a sweet potato almost every day. I don't know if it was a craving, or I just did it out of convenience. I baked several at a time, so I could have a warm, delicious snack quickly and conveniently. I took them to work, and heated them up in the microwave. Now that the weather is nicer, I can have a salad for lunch, and I'm exploring different kinds of greens.

[Blueberries]

I think sometimes our bodies tell us what we need, but if you're obsessing about it, that's slightly different.

That's interesting. While I agree that there may be instances of specific cravings being related to nutritional needs I think it hasn't really been proven. I've seen alot about this idea since the Alexandra Jameson drama. For anyone who hasn't heard about this basically the woman who has written the vegan books for the 'for dummies' series recently wrote a blog post about how she isn't vegan anymore because her body craved meat. If you want to read it it's here: http://alexandrajamieson.com/im-not-vegan-anymore/

[Andy_T]

Broccoli cravings for me, too!

[micthemini]

That's interesting. While I agree that there may be instances of specific cravings being related to nutritional needs I think it hasn't really been proven. I've seen alot about this idea since the Alexandra Jameson drama. For anyone who hasn't heard about this basically the woman who has written the vegan books for the 'for dummies' series recently wrote a blog post about how she isn't vegan anymore because her body craved meat. If you want to read it it's here: http://alexandrajamieson.com/im-not-vegan-anymore/
I used to crave VitamR (yeast extract, so much nicer than Marmite IMO) an awful lot, and this I linked to my migraines and the need for vit B.
Now my migraines have died down a lot (post menopause) my cravings for VitamR have reduced too. This is why I think our bodies (sometimes) tell us what they need.
Not sure that vegans who crave meat are a good example, maybe they just crave meat? I may be wrong, but it's the old bacon butty thing to me...

[Andy_T]

While I agree that there may be instances of specific cravings being related to nutritional needs I think it hasn't really been proven. I've seen alot about this idea since the Alexandra Jameson drama. For anyone who hasn't heard about this basically the woman who has written the vegan books for the 'for dummies' series recently wrote a blog post about how she isn't vegan anymore because her body craved meat. If you want to read it it's here: http://alexandrajamieson.com/im-not-vegan-anymore/

Yes, indeed.

I quite often crave for French fries, which is undoubtedly because of their high content of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients ;-)

I was not aware that Alexandra Jamieson had written a book about Veganism "for Dummies", but, looking at her blog, it makes sense, as she certainly seems to be a valid identification person (not so much for veganism, but for the other).

Best regards,
Andy

[harpy]

From that blog Alexandra J doesn't really seem to be claiming that she had a biological "need" to eat meat (e.g. because of a nutritional deficiency), just that she fancied eating it and didn't really see why she shouldn't? I guess she wasn't really what most of us here would call a vegan though as she says "I did it for my health" and (at least from her current account) viewed the animal issues as secondary. I suppose that makes it easier to decide killing animals for food is OK after all :(

[The Mighty Bosh]

Currently I can't get enough of Rocket, I could not tell you what it tastes like, as I am yet to figure that out my self.

[Blueberries]

Currently I can't get enough of Rocket, I could not tell you what it tastes like, as I am yet to figure that out my self.

Rocket is kind of peppery from what I remember, haven't had it in a while.

[Blueberries]

From that blog Alexandra J doesn't really seem to be claiming that she had a biological "need" to eat meat (e.g. because of a nutritional deficiency), just that she fancied eating it and didn't really see why she shouldn't?

Yeah but I think she said something about listening to your body and letting it tell you what it wants through cravings.

[Tabbycat]

I recently had a craving for potato chips (junk food) and I have no idea why. But Lays has the most delicious dill pickle flavored ones. So I ate more of them than I should have. But the cravings are gone now. So whatever it was my body needed, I must've gotten it.

[harpy]

Yeah but I think she said something about listening to your body and letting it tell you what it wants through cravings.

I think she did, but she didn't seem to make any specific claims about needing anything that she felt wasn't available in her previous diet? Without that link, it's not clear how a "craving" is different from, say, a "wanting".

Of course, it's possible Andy is taking a big risk by resisting his chip "cravings" *goes off to eat some chocolate to be on the safe side* :D

[Blueberries]

I recently had a craving for potato chips (junk food) and I have no idea why. But Lays has the most delicious dill pickle flavored ones. So I ate more of them than I should have. But the cravings are gone now. So whatever it was my body needed, I must've gotten it.

I've never seen pickle flavoured crisps, they sound really nice! :)




I think she did, but she didn't seem to make any specific claims about needing anything that she felt wasn't available in her previous diet? Without that link, it's not clear how a "craving" is different from, say, a "wanting".

Of course, it's possible Andy is taking a big risk by resisting his chip "cravings" *goes off to eat some chocolate to be on the safe side* :D

Of course she didn't... she just wanted to eat meat so she did and now she's angry at vegans for not supporting her. She can do whatever she wants but she had to have anticipated that that would happen.

Anyway... back to talking about vegan crisps and weird vegetables! :)

[s_am]

I've always subscribed to the thought as above where your bodies tell you what you need, but it may just be me being a bit silly!

Whenever I'm sick, I can only eat fresh veg (salad veggies and juices) and crave oranges constantly.

I do get cravings for beetroot sometimes, which is a weird one. That or red onion

[pie]

I sometimes crave rocket and can eat a whole bag, must need the iron

[Turtle.. thatisall]

Coffee!! :D If it grows on a plant, it's a veggie! *walks off hands on ears singing very loudly* ;p