Why Am I Craving Seafood?


If you are craving a little bit of seafood when you are feeling ill, that means that you need its nutrients to help your disease. If you crave seafood right before you get your period, it is likely that you need the nutrients to get through the period once it starts without too many problems.

Seafood cravings are usually driven by a lack of a nutrient supplied by seafood. This typically indicates a shortage of either iron, protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, or salt. If the craving is for seafood and not meat in general, then it is likely driven by a desire for fatty acids and salt.

If you crave seafood, you likely need more iodine, which you are not getting with your current diet. Seafood is rich in adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, so if you crave it, you are probably not getting enough of those with your current diet. If you are craving seafood of any type when on the keto diet, that means you are lacking nutrients from your current diet.

Because of that, your seafood craving is something that you can indulge in since it is allowed on a Mediterranean diet. If you believe that you are eating a well-balanced diet, the cravings may just be a simple clue that you are missing seafood, or enjoy eating such things. The purpose of Craving is essential to inform you that you are eating too much of one thing, or need to be eating more of another.

Cravings Can Be Either Physical or Mental

When trying to understand what is causing your craving, it helps to try and narrow it down whether or not it is a physical craving or a mental one. It is important to distinguish the foods that we actually need to feel better from cravings that are going to make us feel worse.

There is some new evidence suggesting certain cravings for foods can be a way that your body is telling you that you might be lacking some nutrients, especially ones that impact our mental health.

You May Have A Nutritional Deficit

One theory, though it is unproven, is that you will crave foods containing nutrients your body is lacking. Cravings for gooey cheese–and other types of dairy–may indicate your body needs more vitamin A or D (most of us, after all, are vitamin D-deficient).

Craves not to cave in are sugar, processed dairy, and starch (unless you were already eating a grain-free diet, and you felt your body was calling for grains healthily) & processed foods. Cravings to give in to are fats (good-quality fats only), meat, butter, fresh/raw/cooked vegetables, whole foods, savory foods that have salt, and good-quality dairy (if tolerated).

If you are craving savory foods, your body may be telling you have had too many sugary foods, and/or that you are needing a little bit of a healthier dose of salt. In short, you are likely doing yourself and your body a favor if you indulge in your cravings and have a little bit of seafood during your periods. In short, seafood is an amazing post-workout meal, so there is no reason you should resist your cravings.

If you are pregnant and you are craving sushi, Medical News Today suggests having little balls of sticky rice and vegetables with no fish. As we all now know, raw fish is neither a mainstay nor recommended item on pregnant women’s eating plans. Sushi is considered to be an issue food for women expecting as it is made with raw fish.

Noteworthy Nutritional Information on Seafood

What is noteworthy about sushi, and other raw fish, is that it is particularly high in nutrients deficient in individuals with symptoms of depression or clinical depression. One predominant school of thought is that nutrients found in fish, like omega-3 fatty acids, can help stabilize moods and fight some symptoms of depression.

What that might mean, though, is that if you suspect that you might be depressed, or you are currently diagnosed with depression, including sushi, or other fish-based foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, in your diet may be a good way to potentially fight off some symptoms associated with depressive behavior.

Other reasons why you might feel a need to eat fish or other seafood include underlying mental or physical conditions. While your fish cravings might not be indicative of anything — at least nothing medical science can confirm — there are things to consider regarding seafood’s safety in pregnancy.

Believe it or not, there are certain types of fish you should avoid while pregnant due to high mercury levels. Experts recognize that eating cooked seafood is safe and healthy for pregnant women if they avoid the particular fish that tends to have the highest mercury concentrations.

Seafood Cravings and Pregnant Women

The amount of fish experts advise pregnant women to consume is at least 12 ounces = about 2-3 servings per week. The numerous theories developed regarding seafood consumption in pregnancy can lead you to wonder whether or not this type of food is safe. If so, you are in luck, as many of the common foods to be cravings involve sugary treats, which may add unnecessary pounds. If you are craving sugary food, such as chocolate or other confections, chances are that you are deficient in magnesium.

While most of us can sympathize with cravings for salty, crunchy pickles or the urge to indulge a sweet tooth, cravings for raw fish may not put us all on the same page. That is because some foods are associated with joyful memories from times of our lives when we worshipped them; that may explain why some people crave dishes such as seafood every time they are feeling down. If you are miserable in one of these areas or feeling stressed, you might begin craving specific foods in order to stay emotionally satisfied (see the article on craving dairy products, below).

Your Body Needs Protein

If you are lacking adequate protein in your diet, you might find yourself craving shrimp or other protein-rich foods – such as poultry, meat, eggs, or cottage cheese. That is because, for the most part, the fruits and vegetables you consume during the months of November to March have less vitamin C, which means that you need to eat even more of those superfoods — or rely on supplements — to keep your body healthy and disease-free.

Nicholas Finn

I've been the captain of a fishing boat for over 20 years, and I created Pirateering to share my knowledge of and interest in seafaring.

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