Consumers who have a craving for carbohydrates do not necessarily have a nutrient-deficient diet, according to preliminary results from a new US study presented at a British Nutrition Foundation meeting.
The University of Alabama looked at the diets of 15 people who claimed to crave carbohydrates, and three who did not, to see whether cravings affected nutrient intake.
According to professor Larry Christensen, who is conducting the study, the "cravers" consumed the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 12 of the 15 nutrients for which RDAs had been established. However, the non-cravers' nutrient intake was lower than the RDA for 11 out of the 15 nutrients. "I had totally predicted the opposite effect."