"Whatever your mouth craves is what your body needs." This notion is very common among the public, but from a scientific perspective, some of these claims hold little water.
When you're thirsty, you look for water to drink. It seems straightforward, right? Thirst must be because your body needs to replenish its water supply. However, it's not that simple. Eating food that is too spicy or salty can stimulate the thirst center in the brain, causing a sensation of thirst. It could also be due to conditions like diabetes or Sjögren's syndrome. It's not necessarily because your body needs water.
Some people also claim that a craving for meat means the body lacks amino acids or minerals like iron. The reasoning is that meat is rich in protein and also contains a fair amount of iron. However, many men, out of long-standing habit, love to eat meat at any time, even when their bodies are not actually deficient in amino acids or iron. They are simply experiencing a genuine "craving." Similarly, some say a craving for sweets is due to a lack of insulin. Likewise, for those with a lifelong sweet tooth, they can't resist sweets even after they've already eaten their fill of other foods.
Therefore, the idea that "the body craves what it lacks" is incorrect. Without a medical test, even a doctor wouldn't know what your body is deficient in, let alone you trying to figure it out based on your food preferences. How could that be possible! Moreover, human appetite is more influenced by psychological state than by physical condition. When under stress or feeling unhappy, people often turn to sweet foods for comfort. The smart human body knows that sweets can stimulate the brain to release more serotonin, alleviating negative emotions. However, eating too many sweets is quite harmful, so it's best not to use this method to regulate your mood.
My years of experience in clinical nutrition have taught me that if you have a balanced intake of various foods in your daily diet, you will rarely have a strong desire to eat a specific type of food, especially junk food. When your nutritional needs are met, your body will also reject unhealthy foods.
To prepare a reasonable daily diet, you should choose healthy cooking methods and a variety of foods to ensure that the nutrients are complete and properly proportioned to meet the body's nutritional needs. This means combining whole grains with refined grains, meat with vegetables, and acidic foods with alkaline foods. No matter how much you love a particular food, if it's unhealthy, you should give it up and not make excuses for yourself.