Craving Sardines

Can Your Body Actually Ask for Nutrients? Yesterday something remarkable happened. I craved sardines. Not chocolate, not crisps, not ultra-processed biscuits, but tinned sardines.

Now here's the thing, I've always taught that we only crave foods high in sugar, those engineered bliss point creations that hijack our brain's reward system. My good friend Dr Ali Ibrahim, a specialist in eating disorders, reinforced this when he told me food addiction only ever occurs with NOVA class 4 foods (those ultra-processed products with ingredients you'd never find in a home kitchen).

Yet there I was, actively wanting sardines. This happened right after a few days of celebrating my 60th birthday with, let's say, less than optimal food choices.

So the question becomes fascinating: can our bodies actually crave omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals? Can we experience genuine nutritional hunger for whole foods? Is this what orthomolecular reprieve looks like, where your body literally asks for the nutrients it needs to recover? The conventional rule book says no.

Food cravings are about engineered hyper-palatability, dynamic contrast, and bliss points. They're about addiction pathways, not nutritional wisdom. But my sardine craving suggests something else might be happening.

After days of processed food, did my body recognise its need for EPA, DHA, vitamin D, selenium, and B12, and actually communicate that through a specific food desire?

Your action today: Pay attention to your cravings this week. Are they all for ultra-processed foods, or do you occasionally crave real food like eggs, meat, or yes, even sardines?

Track this in your Clubwell app and see what patterns emerge. Your body might be smarter than we've given it credit for.