Easter is just around the corner, and for many, that means one thing – chocolate! But have you ever wondered why you crave chocolate so much, especially since your loss? If you've been finding it hard to resist, know that there’s no need to feel guilty. Be curious about your cravings – they may be telling you something important about what your body truly needs.

Chocolate Cravings & Magnesium Deficiency

Chocolate is one of the richest natural sources of magnesium, a mineral that plays a vital role in energy production, muscle relaxation, and nervous system function. When we’re low in magnesium, our bodies often signal the need for it – hence those irresistible cravings for chocolate.

The problem? Standard blood tests don’t typically measure magnesium levels and they would not give you an accurate picture of your magnesium levels either if they were. In fact, only about 1% of the body's magnesium is found in the blood, while most is stored in bones and muscles. This means that even if a test says your levels are 'normal', you can still be deficient.

Grief & Magnesium Depletion

Grief is a major physical and emotional stressor, and stress rapidly depletes magnesium. Many so-called 'grief symptoms' – such as fatigue, anxiety, heart palpitations, muscle tension, poor sleep, or brain fog – are also classic signs of magnesium deficiency. 

Other factors that can lower magnesium levels include:

• Alcohol consumption – Excessive drinking can cause magnesium loss through urine.
• Certain medications – Stomach acid reducers (e.g., omeprazole) and diuretics can contribute to magnesium deficiency.
• A diet high in processed foods – Even with a varied diet, soil depletion makes it harder to get enough magnesium through food
• Digestive issues – Conditions like Crohn’s or chronic diarrhoea lead to loss of electrolytes, one of which is magnesium.

👉 Learn more about how stress impacts your body during grief.

👉 Download my free nourishing chocolate recipe book here – because if you’re craving chocolate, let’s make it truly nourishing!

Sugar Cravings - What Your Body is Really Asking For

Sugar cravings after loss often have deeper roots than we realise. Here are 3 key contributing factors:

• Seeking Comfort & Our Stress Response - Sweet foods are deeply associated with comfort and security. They soothe our nervous system when grief leaves us highly anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed.
• Brain Chemistry – We are deeply wired to like sweet foods because they’re a quick energy source and ensured our survival. We even have a brain system that rewards us with feelings of pleasure whenever we eat sweet foods. Ever heard of dopamine?
• Energy Depletion – However, what our ancestors craved wasn’t refined sugar but naturally sweet foods that nourish and restore. In Ayurveda, ‘sweet-tasting’ foods help ground, rebuild, and support recovery – including root vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds and not just honey or dried or fresh fruit.

👉 Try this instead: Swap processed sweets for truly nourishing treats that satisfy naturally, such as fruit, honey, or dark chocolate with nuts and seeds. 

Want to Understand Your Cravings More Deeply?

If you’d love to explore what’s behind your cravings and how to manage them in a way that supports your health, join me for my Culinary Grief Workshop on 17th May. During this 2.5-hour session, we’ll explore simple, practical strategies and tools to curb your cravings naturally in a safe and supportive environment.

✨ Places are limited to just 8 participants to allow for a truly safe and intimate experience.

👉 Find out more about this unique workshop here.

✨ Exclusive Bonus! Sign up before 5th May and receive a beautifully designed eBook on the most common cravings after losing a loved one — a resource to help you understand what your cravings are telling you and how to respond to them with nourishment rather than frustration.

Feel like your cravings reveal a deeper story? My personalised 1:1 grief support sessions offer:

- Compassionate, individualised exploration of your unique grief journey 
- Insights into how childhood experiences might shape your current healing process 
- A safe space to understand your body's signals and needs

Often, what’s driving our cravings goes all the way back to childhood, and having an outside perspective can help us see things more clearly.

👉 Sign up here for your complimentary ‘First Steps Grief Support’ session to discuss how we could work together to curb your cravings permanently by understanding where they are truly coming from.