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Craving Questions

In the past I have been vegetarian and vegan and now am a raw vegan. In all instances, at some point, I have craved red meat. Does anyone know why you would crave red meat? What am I not getting in my current eating plan? I didn’t know if anyone would know, but thought I’d give it a shot.

Comments

  • My guess would be that you’re not getting enough iron, or perhaps that you just need to add more nuts to your diet for a while. However, I am not a doctor, and I would always defer to the advice of a good nutritionist on this one.

  • kandacekandace Raw Newbie

    I’ve had similar cravings, but for chicken. I’ve never been sure whether the cravings were physical or psychological, as my Mom made a lot of chicken and fish when I was growing up (I never really had much red meat). Anyhow, my nutritionist advised me to take a B12 supplement (not b/c of the cravings, but b/c of my veganism) and I haven’t had those cravings since. From my understanding, this is one vitamin that you just cannot get enough of on a vegan diet (I know that Dr. Gabriel Cousins wrote in the past that you can, but he has even changed his thinking on this one).

  • Thanks for the advice. It definitely feels physical and not psychological. I’ll add more B12 to my diet and see if that helps. Do you take pills or liquid? I’ve had the liquid before and it really tastes like what I would imagine dirty socks would taste like.

  • kandacekandace Raw Newbie

    Hi:

    Do you take pills or liquid? I’ve had the liquid before and it really tastes like what I would imagine dirty socks would taste like.

    Funny, great description! I take B12 in a lquid B complex that my nutritionist has. At first, I found the smell and taste pretty overwhelming and would try plugging my nose, etc at every dose (2 a day). After about a week, my taste completely changed and I barely taste it. I’ve had that happen with a supplement before and am not entirely sure why, but I’m pretty happy about it!

  • LucyLucy Raw Newbie

    I would like to ask if anyone knows how to stop pasta cravings.I’ve being a vegetarian for 7 years,vegan for a year, and a month of raw food,and I have no idea why I’m craving pasta. I did not eat past at all for many years. If someone could help me I appreciatte that.

  • HI, I recently had RAW pasta made from rubbarb with marinara and heated in the dehydrator with nut cheese. It was delicious and barely noticeable that it was RAW. Perhaps this will fill the void. Best wishes

  • LucyLucy Raw Newbie

    Thanks a lot !! I’ll do that.

  • kandacekandace Raw Newbie

    If you have the time, raw lasagne really helps with pasta cravings! For a quick fix, I like to make noodles out of zucchini, like in this marinara recipe.

  • LucyLucy Raw Newbie

    I love lasagna,and cucumber and zucchini pasta,but I’m craving something like a potato.I heard that craving pasta it’s really craving sugar. I’m eating all the raw sweets latelly and I can’t stop it,and now this pasta cravings.I think that I gained 5 pounds because of that. Maybe it is time to stop evrything and eat only salads and fruits for a while,eventhough I have a huge glass of vegetable and fruit juice evry morning. If you could give me a tip for this “state of mind” that I’m going through I would appreciate.

  • JoescJoesc Raw Master

    It’s funny you say that Lucy. I happened to be reading Rawsome by Bridgette Mars and I just read that when someone is craving sweets it could be a lack of protein. You should eat more protein or you can add Spirulina to your diet. If you believe craving carbs (which does break down into monosaccharides) is your craving for sweets try the protein and see if it helps.

  • I had an olive craving today…went to WF and got a small tub of mixed olives…and proceeded to eat THEM ALL! Sad thing is that I wasn’t even hungry, but they were just sooooo tasty!OH well…had a salad for lunch, guess I’m having a salad for dinner too lol

  • ZoeZoe Raw Newbie

    I was vegan for 12 years with constant meat cravings. It was awful. But they stopped as soon as I went raw. I think it was because I was lacking in minerals. I ate a poor vegan diet, mainly potaoes and coffee. I am so happy now because meat utterly disgusts me, which is in line with my opinions about it. I felt slightly schizophrenic before when I was desiring meat like nothing else, but knowing totally and completely that it was wrong.

    I think drinkng a green drink every day will cure meat cravings even if you’re not raw yet: Try mine: 3 oranges + 2 handfuls of kale + 2 handfuls of spinach+ a cup or so of good water.

  • chriscarltonchriscarlton Raw Newbie

    My cooked food cravings did not stop until I was Purely Raw. The last two cooked items that I was eating were nori and nama shoyu. I have not had any cooked food cravings since a week or so after eliminating them both. Around the same time I added green smoothies to my diet as well. I am sure that helped also. Check your diet against the Dead Food List on my website.

    I hope this helps, Chris

  • JoescJoesc Raw Master

    Today I have the official cravings for extra sharp cheddar cheese. My mouth keeps watering thinking about it. I have no idea what to eat to help my self, I just had some nut cheese and it doesn’t taste anything like cheese but it still tasted good with the flax crackers.

  • Oh, man, the cravings hit me full force last week, week 4 of raw foods. As I drove by a street full of restaurants, the smell of….cooked MEAT of all things made my mouth water. I have not looked back ONCE since going veg over 4 years ago, until last week. Then, in the break room, someone had brought sharp smoked cheddar (sorry joesc!) and just looking at it made me long for it. I had to get outta there quick! Is it just residual cravings and “detox” from my old way of eating? Maybe I should pick up another supplement.

    AND POPCORN! Forgot that one. I actually indulged in it last night….

  • JoescJoesc Raw Master

    I loooovvveee sharp smoked cheddar cheese! I just had a flash back of eating some. My mouth keeps watering. Just a minute ago my job had an icecream social and gave everybody coupons to get the icecream. I didnt get any but when I saw someone past me with the chocolate and nut covered icecream bar, I was so tempted to grab one. It looked very appealing. I find it funny because I hadn’t had cheese in three months. I haven’t craved it since I did the master cleanse but now it is in full force.

    I am afraid if I indulge myself there is no turning back. Maybe it is a detox. I don’t even know what to eat to help reduce that craving.

  • Joesc….you’re like writing my life here! About 3 years ago I used to be able to put away some tequila and the clincher is I didn’t want to stop…then I met someone who wasn’t a drinker and drinking became less attractive, not so common/expected. Over the last three years I have indulged in wine a dozen times. I haven’t had a glass of wine in over two months. Last night I met up with some friends at a bar and had a glass of wine. I didn’t want a second glass, this was so liberating. Maybe my body has successfully cleaned house and the cravings are gone. So, here’s two thoughts I can leave you with, either have the piece of cheese (if you’re not ethically opposed), your body may not want a second piece and that would be cool to prove to yourself OR try to make some raw smoked cheddar. I believe liquid smoke is raw. Best of luck!!!

  • joesc – i have a recipe for cheddar cheese that has a sharp taste…its from Alissa’s book – let me know if you want it and I will email it to you. I’d hate to break any copyright laws

  • JoescJoesc Raw Master

    Om I may take the idea. I think I crave it because it is like the candy bar that your mom won’t let you eat because it’s bad for your teeth. It seems more appealing when it’s forbidden. I hated eggplant parmesan when I was a kid, my mom made it all the time, I ate the cheese and left the rest and I was so happy when we got a dog, I snuck him the eggplant. Well for some odd reason as an adult I loved my moms eggplant parmesan. It was really good well my friend decides to make eggplant parmesan and it looked better than any eggplant parmesan in my entire life (or so I felt) and I wanted to taste it so bad but it had cheese and she used eggs to put the bread crumbs on the eggplant. I ate a great meal that I brought from home but to help you understand how I feel, all I can say is I am still thinking about that eggplant parmesan. Something I never craved before and what’s so strange is it has been two years since I had it.

    What is the name of the recipe damzlfly? I have the book and I tried one of the cheese recipes and it didn’t help.

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