What do you reach for when you feel particularly peckish?
Of course, processed snacks arent horrible every now and then (sweets are good for the soul!
), but you might not want to make those nibbles an everyday habit.
But it can be oh-so difficult to kick those crunchy, salty, and/or sweet cravings!
How can you train your mind to seek out something healthier?
“Most of your cravings arecoming from the gut bacteria1that are fighting for the messaging to your brain.”
Essentially, your gut bacteria send certain signals to your brain to crave certain foods.
Well, according to Shah, you fuel them with the nutrients they need to thrive.
(Specifically, the study found a high-fermented foods dietincreased microbial diversity and lowered 19 inflammatory markers2.)
Think foods like yogurt, apple cider vinegar, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and miso.
And adding more actual bacteria-laden foods into your diet is a way of improving gut health, says Shah.
For instance, one study suggests that a combination ofLactobacillusandBifidobacteriacan ease bloating3.
As a result, thewomen lost more weight4.
Fiber
Finally, Gut bacteria love fiber foods, says Shah.
Ultra-processed foods are devoid of fiber, she notes.
So you want to eat real foods that dont have labels on them.
Fruits, vegetables, [and] whole grains.
The takeaway
Look, sometimes cravings happenand thats OK!
