Our everyday choices and habits reveal a lot about what is going on below the surface when it comes to our health and wellbeing.

Nowhere is this clearer than with food and drink, which is one of the most common outlets for negative feelings. What do your common cravings say about your emotional health?

While this feels good at the time, the best way to deal with common cravings is to identify the underlying feeling triggering the need to consume. With the feeling identified, it can be addressed in a healthier manner, and make a change towards not only healthier choices. That will lead to an overall healthier way to live life.

Understanding the 10 common cravings

The nine most common food cravings include the need for sweet foods, oily foods, crunchy foods, salty foods, corn-rich foods, comforting carbohydrates, milky foods, chocolate-rich foods, spicy food, and of course alcohol. Each craving has a root emotion, and each food works as a form of self-soothing, which is only temporarily effective. Let’s look at the food cravings and emotions chart detailed below.

1. Sweet treats

It seems that sweet foods is one of the universal common cravings, but what does it really mean for those who claim to have a ‘sweet tooth?’ According to research, sugar acts as a form of entertainment for those feeling a bit bored with their everyday life.

Are you entertaining yourself with sweet flavors? If so, reconnecting to the joy of life through cultivating your passions is a great place to start channeling that energy into something more positive.

2. Oily snacks

Another popular favorite of the common cravings is oily snacks. If it is made with unhealthy oils are neither good for your body or your mind. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that humans crave oily and greasy food when we feel ashamed of ourselves. If you’re regularly indulging in burgers or pizza, ask yourself how you are feeling on a day-to-day basis and try to get to the root cause.

Rather than partaking in unhealthy oils and trans fats, look at where shame may be present in your life, and learn to release it in a healthy way.

3. Crunchy pleasures

Crunchy foods are unique in that they allow us to release emotion as we enjoy the feeling, sound, and sensation of the bite. However, this third of the common cravings has been linked to a simmering degree of anger.

If you are experiencing unresolved anger on a regular basis, it is much more beneficial long term for you to work on both identifying the root cause of your anger. Then work to move the emotion out of your body in a safe and healthy way.

4. Salty snacks

Some of the common cravings we have already mentioned incorporate the salty flavor into part of their draw, think crunchy, salty chips, or sweet mixed with sour. However, a craving for salt indicates you wish you could be more adventurous but lack the courage.

Are you craving something salty? Make a list of your goals and intentions. Create a plan with detailed steps that will help you move through fear, and start taking small actions towards a more fulfilling and adventurous life.

5. Corn-based products

Corn is one of the more unique common cravings and often leads to eating many processed foods made with ingredients from corn.  It is very important to eat organic corn and hopefully, in its most natural form. On the emotional level, cravings for corn have been traditionally linked to feelings of not being enough or feeling like you are failing.

Rather than chasing the illusion of success through food, use that energy to take on a new project; and make the steps towards feeling the success you desire.

6. Comforting carbohydrates

Who doesn’t agree that carbohydrate foods are rich in comforting feelings? They fill the void created by an absence of relationships, people, connections, or basically anything you feel is lacking in your life.

Researchers have observed some forms of carbohydrates, notably wheat, as having a true addictive effect on the brain. Wheat withdrawal is likened to opiate withdrawal. You can try to abstain from the craving, which likely never works long-term. Or you can look at the feelings beneath the craving and release them.  The latter will provide a natural release of the craving.

7. Casein-rich foods

Common cravings for dairy products such as milk, cream, yogurt, and cheese are directly linked to the feeling of needing love. Babies experience their first form of love direct from their mother in the form of milk. That forges a mental connection that often endures for life. If you feel like you need love, you might crave a milky drink or an extra serving of cheese. This craving also links up with the craving for oily foods, which indicates shame.

Human connection and the feeling of being loved is the most basic need that must be fulfilled. It is the most fundamental nourishment for the soul. Finding your tribe is important. If you are not feeling loved and nurtured, try branching out in new circles of people and connecting with those that connect with you.

8. Cacao rich chocolate

Organic dark chocolate has proven health benefits given the right portion and quality, but too much of a good thing is never good! Chocolate cravings have been linked to a craving for sexual intimacy. The endorphins chocolate provides appear to satiate the need for physical closeness.

The most interesting thing about common cravings for chocolate is that they can be mostly divided into two camps: those who crave milky chocolate, and those who crave bitter cacao. The milky chocolate cravers are possibly in need of a love based form of sexual intimacy. The need for physical intimacy is important. Finding a mate with similar spiritual alignment and vibrational frequency as you can be the most rewarding and fulfilling experience.

9. Alcohol

Alcohol has been linked to the desire for an altered reality. Heavy users have difficulty accepting their current life and their current selves as they are. In addition to highlighting feelings of self-acceptance, alcohol has additional underlying emotions depending on the beverage you choose. Sweet beverages indicate boredom. Corn-based beverages indicate the desire to be successful. Grains indicate the desire to be comforted.

10. Spicy food

In many cultures, spicy food is eaten during times of work stress. Spicy food is unique in that it can signify a few emotional cravings, due to capsaicin working to create a pain response and therefore a pain release. This can range from the release of anger to the release of stress, to even sexual feelings.

If you’ve been craving a spicy dish lately, reflect on how you’ve been feeling to determine whether there has been any clear link. Interestingly, like other common cravings, spicy food goes hand in hand with one popular product – alcohol.

Regardless of your craving, when you spend time analyzing your patterns, your habits, and recent events in your life, you may come to a clear realization of where you need to make a change. With positive choices, you will start to feel better and more in tune with yourself spiritually.

Which of these common cravings have you been wanting lately? Does the related emotion ring true for you?  Understanding your underlying desires for food is a great start to raising your vibrational frequency!