On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 17:01:35 -0700, Mark Moore <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hello Mark, thanks on your nice reference on carvings.

>On Thurs Oct. 6, 1998 Amadeus wrote:
>>>If you discover a lacking stuff, that's in >>somewhere you tend to
>have cravings >>for.... bingo :-)

>I find that several posts make this implied assumption:  the body craves
>foods that are good for it.
Yes I do imply that the body generates craving for imtems it needs
(your reference explained nicely why it could do so).
But that doesn't mean that all things you have cravings for
are good for you.

I intended it as a check / test.

There are many urgent short time needs that might create  mighty
cravings for things that are otherwise garbage.
Sugar for example. If you are in the up and down of blood-sugars, many
westerners are in ("need a cake now ... some sweet now...."), then.
you'll probably have a strong craving for sugar in the down phase.
Although sugar is nutritional garbage.

Additionally, it may be that our senses don't sense the actual needed
stuff in the food, but only some associated taste-giving stuff.
(like raspberry-taste for "contains vitamin-c").
Then you'll probably only recognise previously learn't food-combinations
and like them because of good effects they showed once.

>I have learned the hard way not to trust
>the cravings of my body.  In fact it seems just the opposite--my body
>seems to crave the foods that are bad for it.  I feel i am not alone
>when i look at the industries built on alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, and
>sugar.
Cravings for drugs? Maybe generated by the metabolic-systems constantly
working to break-down the drugs.
Or psycho-cravings (for feelings) unrelated to nutrition.

>I don't know this but i'm willing to bet that people with scurvy do not
>crave foods rich in vitamin C.
I have observed myself to be keen on vitamin-c rich items (like lemon, cabbage)
for example after some time low in vitamin-c.
I'd suspect scurvy people do have strong cravings for fodd-items containing
what they need (provided that they know such).

>Craving health,
>mark
Craving health,
Amadeus