I have heard that if you are craving a specific food then your body is lacking something*like a*vitiman.***Is this true?**** I have been craving pumpkin for over a week now.** In the past I could take or leave a peice of pumpkin pie so it is not something I have always liked..*What is in pumpkin that my body may be lacking or craving???
*
Thank you everyone,
Becky

It's*really rich in Patassium, Vitamin A and has a pretty good supply of vitamin C.* If you register*at fitday.com, you can look up specific foods and see their daily value percentages of the major vitamins and nutrients... here is the info cut and paste from that site:

Nutrition Facts

*

Amount Per 1 cup, (1" cubes) Raw Pumpkin

Calories*30.16 Calories from Fat 1.04

*

% Daily Value * Total Fat 0.116g 0% *** Saturated Fat 0.0603g 0% *** Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0058g * *** Monounsaturated Fat 0.0151g * Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 1.16mg 0% Potassium 394.4mg 11% Total Carbohydrate 7.54g 3% *** Dietary Fiber 0.58g 2% Protein 1.16g 2% Alcohol 0g *

*

Vitamin A 37 % *** Vitamin C 17 % Calcium 2 % *** Iron 5 % Vitamin D 0 % *** Vitamin E 3 % Thiamin 3 % *** Riboflavin 6 % Niacin 3 % *** Folate 5 % Vitamin B-6 4 % *** Vitamin B-12 0 % Phosphorus 5 % *** Magnesium 3 % Zinc 2 % *** Copper 7 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Wow, who knew?? LOL. Thanks.

I have heard that's true, about the cravings.

Wow,* thank you Cathy...That was great...I will save that website to check into whenever the need arises.
Becky

It can be both ways, you need to just pay close attention.

Most 'cravings' really have nothing to do with a deficiency your body needs.* They are more often than not, something we're accustomed to having or even something subconscious (like seeing a commercial for cheesecake) and then craving cheesecake the next day even though you don't remember the commercial.
For example, it's possible you saw/heard,...etc some kind of Halloween thing and thoughts of pumpkins got into your subconscious and later they became cravings for pumpkin.

On the other hand, cravings can be very real and very indicative of something the body needs.* For example, caffeine cravings can (and usually are) very real.

The real trick is distinguish a genuine need for something versus a craving that is just something that popped up from the subconscious.

Makes sense Dan...I could understand the thing you were saying about our subconcious tricking us into thinking we want something...The only thing that keeps me from believing that with this pumpkin thing is I don't particulary(sp?) like pumpkin...But interesting theory and thank you for your input.**
*
Becky

That's the weird part.* It doesn't necessarily have to be something you like.
It's kind of like when a song that you don't even like gets stuck on auto-play inside your head.

The best way to tell if it's a real craving or just something popping up from the subconscious is to wait a couple of days and see if it's still there.* If it is, it might very well be genuine.

Of course, if it's a healthy craving, you might as well just do it.