Why Am I Craving Beans So Bad? Top 11 Reasons

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Why am I Craving Beans so Bad (1)

You might be wondering why you suddenly crave beans so much.

You’re not alone, and there’s a good chance that it has something to do with your diet!

This blog post will teach you why people often get cravings for beans – from pregnancy to nutrient deficiencies – as well as some of our favorite bean recipes!

1 – You Are Pregnant

pregnant woman

You’ve no doubt heard that when pregnant you are eating for two people. This means that you need to be consuming more calories than usual, and beans are a great way to do that!

It’s estimated that pregnant women should be getting about 300-500 extra calories a day – and why not get some of those from beans?

Beans are full of proteins, fibers and minerals which is why they make such an excellent substitute for meat or carbs.

The nutrients in beans will help you to feel better at the same time as keeping your daily calorie count higher!

It’s important to remember that pregnant women need more protein than usual (25 g per day versus 15).

Beans contain high amounts of healthy plant based proteins, which is why they’re such a popular choice for pregnant women.

Protein intake during pregnancy helps to support fetal growth and development, as well as safeguard against low birth weights (which can be caused by malnutrition).

One tablespoon of beans has about 0.75 grams of protein.

So, if you’re looking for a high-protein food to help satisfy your cravings – look no further than the bean!

2 – Your Body Is Low On Iron

Back in college I felt very fatigued and had low energy.

But strangely, I always found the energy to prepare beans. Even when I was totally exhausted!

My cravings for beans were strong, but I wasn’t sure why.

So one day I went into the doctor’s office to get my blood levels tested.

My results came back and I found out my blood iron levels were dangerously low.

The blood test indicated I had a condition called “iron deficiency anemia”.

Iron deficiency anemia is when your blood is low in iron.

Iron is one of the most important minerals for your body.

A few signs of nutrient deficiency for iron can include:

  • fatigue
  • lack of energy
  • brain fog
  • hunger

I was advised to add lean red meat, pulses and dark green leafy vegetables into my diet.

In hindsight, my blood had low levels of iron because I was improperly following a vegetarian diet.

Be sure if you are vegetarian or vegan that you don’t overlook the basic nutrition your body needs.

You really can’t have too many beans so help your body function properly and chow down!

3 – Your Body Is Low On Protein

Another reason you get cravings for beans is that they are great sources of protein.

When your body is lacking protein your body will crave them as a way to try and get the nutrients it needs.

Protein is essential for our bodies – it helps us to maintain muscle mass, repair tissue, and produce enzymes and hormones.

Plus, protein is known to help us feel fuller longer!

A lack of protein can lead to feelings of fatigue, moodiness, decreased productivity and why you might be craving beans in the first place!

Make sure you are including good sources of plant-based proteins in your diet like lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, quinoa or black beans.  You also can get proteins from meat sources if you’re not a vegetarian.

You need about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight each day. That’s around 54 grams for someone who weighs 150 pounds.

If you struggle to get adequate protein each day, it might be time to reconsider your current approach.  

Take some time and think about how satisfied you feel after each meal – are your energy levels fluctuating throughout the day?  

You don’t have to change everything overnight but instead just try adding one new high-protein food into your diet at a time.

And why not start with beans?

4 – You Like The Texture & Variety

Think of all the different bean dishes you can eat.

There are all sorts of different beans you can eat:

  • black beans
  • kidney beans
  • pinto beans
  • green beans
  • cannellini beans
  • lima beans

And if you’re feeling a little more adventurous – why not try an Asian-style dish with adzuki or mung beans?

Beans can be easily incorporated into many dishes as they have a mild flavor which adapts to any spices you want to add.

In Mexican food that might mean adding some cumin for extra flavor!  Or in Chinese cuisine the bean blends well with soy sauce and rice vinegar.  

Beans also offer a pleasing texture variety as opposed to eating plain tofu all day long.    

In fact dried peas & lentils do an excellent job at mimicking ground meat – think burgers made from red lentils instead of beef!

And why not give it a shot?

Maybe the reason you crave beans is because they are just good!  

Beans offer the perfect blend of taste, enjoyable texture and variety.

And if your body needs some extra help in being satisfied – why not give this fulfilling food group a chance to satisfy all three at once?   

5 – You’re Dieting

Of course it’s entirely possible you are dieting and that’s why you’re craving beans.

When you are on a diet, you often cut out a lot of the food groups – including beans.

This can leave your body feeling deprived and might be why you are experiencing intense cravings for this particular nutrient-rich food.

Plus when you’re trying to shed weight, you will not eat enough calories because everyone knows you must be at a caloric deficit to lose weight.

However, most of the time people eat significantly less than a normal caloric deficit.

When your body runs on a caloric deficit for too long, your body will start to crave foods with nutrients and that might be why you are craving beans.

6 – You’re Compensating

picture of pendulum showing that binge eating swings from the side of dieting to the side of overeating

People often feel guilty after binging and want to “cleanse” themselves by eating healthy.

Just think about it. Did you recently overeat? If so, do you feel a little guilty about your actions like you ate too many calories?

Do you feel that consuming beans will somehow make the guilt go away?

Because if you eat the beans it will feel like you are healthy!

If you feel like you are healthy then you can forget about the binge!

If you are wanting to eat more beans because it will make you feel better about the binge – why not just stop eating so much in the first place?

Instead of trying to trick yourself into feeling okay with your actions, why don’t you try and fix why those events occur in the first place.  

That’s a lot easier than going through all that trouble every time! 🙂  

Instead of craving beans to compensate for guilt, why don’t you eat beans on a regular basis?

Eating beans will help you stay satisfied and help prevent binges from occurring in the first place!

7 – You Want “Hearty” Food Satisfaction

You may be craving the nice full, satisfied feeling you get from eating beans too.

Beans are considered a “hearty” food – perfect for those times when you want to feel full and satisfied after eating.

Plus, beans offer sustained energy over a period of time as they digest slowly in the body.

This is why people often choose bean dishes over pasta or rice-based meals – they want that sense of being sated without feeling weighed down afterward.

When you eat beans, you can expect to feel satisfied for hours afterwards – unlike other empty calorie foods which will leave you wanting more shortly after consumption.

Eating beans regularly can help prevent snacking later on in the day because you will have already received a nice dose of “hearty” food satisfaction.

Why not try including more bean dishes in your diet and see why people crave beans?  

They taste great, they offer variety and most importantly – when eaten regularly – they will keep you satisfied for hours.  Who doesn’t want that?!    

8 – Your Hormones Are Changing

female hormones changing

If your hormones are changing, this could be an entirely different explanation why you crave beans!

Human body hormones change throughout life for all sorts of reasons:

  • puberty
  • pregnancy
  • menopause and more
  • Even life transitions can cause a cascade of chemical reactions!

And when your hormones are changing – that can often lead to intense food cravings.

Beans are a nutrient-rich food with many benefits for the body so it’s no wonder why they would be one of the foods you might crave during hormonal changes.

If you’re experiencing intense cravings for beans, it could be due to a change in your hormone levels.

Try to figure out what is going on in your life that may be leading to these hormonal changes.

Once you have identified the cause, you can start working on ways to alleviate them!

Generally speaking, what really keeps hormone levels stable is eating an overall healthy diet!

So eat those beans and enjoy all their amazing healthy food benefits! 🙂  

9 – Your Body Is Low On Carbs

Have you worked with countless dieticians and doctors but remain stuck in your head and self-sabotage?

The most likely reason you are craving beans is that your body is low on carbs.

When your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates, it starts to crave them intensely in order to try and get what it needs.

Why does your body crave carbs?

Well, it is why we get hungry when our blood sugar starts to drop – carbs are the body’s preferred source of energy.

When your levels start getting low, you will feel intense cravings for high carb foods like bread and pasta!

This is why beans can be a great substitute for those who want some carbs but don’t necessarily want to get them from high carb foods without any protein.

Beans have lots of carbohydrates in addition to fiber so they won’t make you crash later on either!  

Sometimes people think avoiding certain foods or food groups might help prevent these intense cravings from occurring. 

And if there are certain foods your body is really craving, then it’s probably because you need them!

Including beans in your diet can help prevent cravings for other high carb foods.

When you eat a balanced diet with plenty of nutrient-rich items like beans, you’re less likely to experience intense cravings for unhealthy junk food.

10 – Vitamin Deficiency

Beans are a great source of many vitamins and minerals, including:

  • iron
  • zinc
  • vitamin B12
  • fiber
  • essential amino acids

If you’re deficient in any of these nutrients, then you might start to crave beans as your body is trying to tell you that it needs them!

As you know, iron deficiency can often lead to cravings for red meat or leafy greens.

Zinc deficiencies can cause people to crave oysters or beef. And vitamin B12 deficiencies can make people want more poultry or organ meats.

Bean dishes offer all sorts of different flavors and textures so they are perfect for satisfying those intense cravings.

If you are looking for an explanation why you might be craving beans so bad, then look no further than why you are deficient in certain minerals!

11 – You Need The Fiber

Fiber is an essential nutrient for our bodies – it helps with bowel regularity, maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes.

Including 25-30 grams of fiber per day is recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Read here for more high fiber foods great for cholesterol lowering.

If you are craving beans, it could be because your body needs more fiber!

Beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber with about 15 grams per cup.

That’s why including them in your diet is a great way to help meet your daily fiber goals!

What Happens If You Eat Lots of Beans?

Nothing bad!

In fact, beans are a nutrient-rich food with many benefits for the body.

According to BlueZones research, the people who live the longest in the world eat beans each day!

Beans can be part of a healthy diet and provide lots of fiber, proteins, and other essentials – which is why you might crave them so bad sometimes!  

Why am I craving baked beans?

There could be a few reasons why you might find yourself craving beans. The first possibility is that the flavor of baked beans is unique and really delicious. It’s possible that you watched a show or movie about cowboys or food in which the characters ate beans, and now you are subconsciously influenced. However, the more likely reason is simply that you are craving the flavor.

Another possibility is that baked beans can be softer than fresh beans, so if you have a sensitive stomach this could be why you’re craving beans. However, it’s more likely that you’re just craving the flavor. Either way, there’s no need to worry – just enjoy your craving!

Watch out for too much salt though. Baked beans often contain lots of sodium. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. So make sure to enjoy your baked beans in moderation.

Why am I craving refried beans?

There are a few reasons why you might be craving refried beans.

The first reason is that you might simply enjoy the taste of refried beans. They have a different fat ratio than baked beans, and they’re usually cooked in oil, which gives them a unique flavor.

Another reason you might be craving refried beans is because they’re a good source of protein. If you’re feeling tired or run down, your body might be craving refried beans as a way to get an energy boost.

Many of the reasons people crave baked beans apply towards refried beans as well. The only difference is that each person’s individual taste preferences might differ.

Craving refried beans could also be a sign that you’re deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Beans are a good source of iron, so if you’re not getting enough iron in your diet, you might start craving foods like refried beans that can provide you with this nutrient.

Here is a list of more great foods to eat.

If you find yourself constantly craving refried beans, it’s important to pay attention to your body and see if there are any other potential underlying causes. If you’re concerned, talk to your doctor to get more information.

Conclusion: Craving Beans Meaning

We all go through periods of time where we crave specific foods. Sometimes it’s for no apparent reason at all, other times there are reasons like dieting or pregnancy that can influence our cravings.

Whatever the case may be, if you find yourself craving beans then take a look at this list to see what might be causing these intense food desires and how they should affect your eating habits in order to help curb them.

About the Author

Jared Levenson is a former binge eating wrestler turned Zen Buddhist Monk, Internal Family Systems counselor and nutrition wellness coach. He's helped hundreds of people through universal meal principles and internal family systems to make peace with food, stop binge eating, and find true health and wholeness.

@jared_levenson

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