Chocolate, Cake, Cheese or Steak? What do you crave?

A lot of the time when I've said to someone how long I've been vegetarian they often say 'I could never do that, I wouldn't have the self-control!' 

I always find it funny because I think I probably have less self-control than most meat eaters.

Anyone who's been out with me to a restaurant will have witnessed my poor dining etiquette and that I don't join in the conversation once my food has arrived because I'm so fixated on munching down my meal.  On nights out out I also finish my drinks much faster than most people (I at least don't do it on an empty stomach!).  I do experience cravings sometimes and I'm no good at resisting them at all so most of the time I don't even try.

I've mentioned in some of my previous blogs that I've known about the horrors of animal farming (including the egg and dairy industry) and wanted to be vegan since age 16. I went vegetarian at age 20 and have never looked back but veganism I've been very back and forth with sticking to it. I've never really liked cheese or eggs but for me, cake is my achilles heel. I love making vegan cakes and I've had some really nice ones in cafes and when going to vegan meet ups. The problem is when depressed I get very specific and overwhelming cravings, I stop caring about any of my principles and I lack the motivation to do anything and that includes making a vegan cake or getting on a long bus journey to one of the very few places that sell vegan cakes.  The result is I end up eating non-vegan cakes (amongst other unhealthy foods), I put on weight and when I've recovered from the depression I get exasperated with myself.  Cravings can be extremely powerful and giving in to them can result in feelings of self-loathing and failure.  We're only human and it's not a sign of weakness, it's to do with our body chemistry.

What's behind these cravings?  

As I've mentioned in my previous blog http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/you-can-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-under.html stress and depression mean low serotonin (a feel-good body chemical) levels and eating high carbohydrate foods helps to increase it temporarily, providing feelings of comfort.  Eating cakes, sweets and chocolates when stressed or depressed is really our body's attempt at homeostasis (maintaining balance) gone slightly wrong.  It is completely understandable, but giving in to this over long periods of time can result in ill health and obesity.  The solution is to find longer term, healthier ways of increasing serotonin levels.  If you have actually been diagnosed with depression, medication and/or therapy might be necessary but there are many other healthy mood lifting things we can do.  See point 3. on my previous blog for some ideas.

http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/5-things-to-do-when-black-dog-strikes.html

The individual foods we crave and provide comfort also depend on our life experiences.  Food preferences start from in the womb, depending on what our mothers eat during pregnancy.  Most show a preference for sweet tastes in early life but as the years go by, we develop positive associations with some foods and aversions to others (I still can't stand peas, eugh!)

Why specifically cake for me? When I was a child my family really didn't have much money and I didn't have a nice experience at school.  A couple of times per week my mum would take us to the cake shop and buy us an iced bun and that would be the highlight of my day. I don't remember much from my childhood but memories that stick out include eating a whole cake (intended for the family) at age 4 and feelings of euphoria when having a slice of birthday cake as a child.  It's no wonder that it's a food I revert to at times when I'm feeling in need of comfort.

This book is brilliant! I got it
free because it was withdrawn
from the library, yey!

What is behind meat or cheese cravings?  There may be many different reasons. It may be positive associations developed in childhood eg. families bonding together over a roast dinner at Christmas or a summer barbecue, it could be the body lacking in some nutrient or other. Dr Mike Dow's book mentions about how savoury but fatty foods including meat and cheese help increase levels of another feel-good body chemical (dopamine), which is associated with motivation, excitement and drive. Levels of this neurotransmitter are also low in people who are stressed or depressed and attachments and addictions can easily form.

I used to like chicken when I was younger and some things like sausage rolls but once I learned about how it was produced and gave it up at age 20 I never looked back.  I never was much of a dairy eater either so for me giving it up is not too much of a challenge for the most part. There's nothing more annoying than someone saying they find something easy that you find difficult so here's some links to blogs of people who have given up meat and cheese, despite really liking them. https://www.vegansociety.com/whats-new/blog/10-tips-going-vegetarian-vegan
http://www.theflamingvegan.com/view-post/The-Meat-Lover-s-Guide-to-Surviving-Veganism
http://inourishgently.com/vegan-dairy-cravings/ for those who are trying to reduce or eliminate these foods.

People can form strong attachments to certain foods and this is why a lot of people get upset with vegans even if they're not self-righteous about it.  I love baked goods and on my nutrition course I would often get upset with gluten and sweet foods being constantly demonised so I can understand the feeling in a way. Using food as a source of comfort and enjoyment just makes us human, it's when we eat certain foods excessively or to numb pain that it's a problem. The positive thing is,  whether you want to remove a food from your diet for ethical or health reasons, addictions and attachments can be overcome with hard work and determination. Removing something from your diet doesn't have to mean deprivation which is why I love to make healthier vegan versions of baked goods.

Chocolate cookie recipe
http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/make-cookies-not-war-slightly-healthier.html

Ginger snap recipe
http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/iron-like-lion-in-zion.html

Don't beat yourself up if you find it difficult, it can take time and some people are more predisposed to addictions than others. :) Seek support from those around you and don't stop trying!!!