THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MUSTARD TURNIP 2020

#MustardTurnip2020

Have you noticed?

Eating plays a role in nearly every major life event that we participate in. Families gather around the table together for the holidays, you and your friends might dine out for a birthday celebration, wedding receptions serve an abundance of food, and anniversaries are celebrated with delicious meals. Many of your cravings for specific foods are more about your craving for the feelings that come with those foods. For example, if your grandmother baked her famous 11-layer chocolate cake for the family to enjoy every Thanksgiving, you might crave that cake just because you want to bring back the feelings of gathering with your family.

Sometimes though, you’re craving something that’s outside of your regular meal plan just because it tastes great and that’s ok. Cravings aren’t the bad guy and they certainly not the enemy even though we leave in a culture that has portrayed cravings as such. We know you’ve run into an instance where you’ve craved something healthy, too, right? If you’ve been eating out lately or haven’t had the time to meal prep, your body might be craving a salad, fresh produce, or even a healthy smoothie. Cravings aren’t just restricted to sweets or things we should eat only in moderation.

You can navigate the fine lines of cravings by learning the difference between a craving and hunger. A craving is defined as an intense, urge, or abnormal desire or longing for something while hunger is a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by a lack of food, coupled with the desire to eat. Craving and hunger can walk hand in hand sometimes, but remember that you can also crave things even when you’re not hungry.

Don’t deny yourself when you have a craving, but use common mindfulness when choosing to indulge in a particular food that is outside of your typical day. If you deny yourself, you’re more likely to end up bingeing on it because it becomes even more enticing than it was before. For example, if you’re craving your favorite chocolate bar, consider baking a chocolate treat that has some additional nutrients added in.

You can whip up a batch of our Kale Chia Chocolate Truffles the next time that you want to dive into a chocolate candy bar. These truffles are made with dark chocolate, chia seeds, Nature’s Greens (R) Kale, and will satisfy your craving while providing additional nutrients to your day. It’ll help fuel your body and get you through the day. 

Work on developing a practice of mindfulness so that you’re always present in the moment and mindful of what you’re consuming. All food is ok in moderation! 

How are you maintaining your cravings this spring season? We’d love to see you implementing your tips and tricks for mindfulness, as well as indulging in those healthy cravings we discussed. Tag us in your photos and videos on Instagram using @naturesgreens.