Cravings come in many forms, and most of them are recognizable. You might crave something salty like chips, or one day you might wake up and want a doughnut. Some people also crave dairy or meat if they haven’t had some in a while. These cravings are common, but what isn’t common is craving something burnt.
Most of the time, burnt foods are thrown in the garbage because you can’t do anything with them, but sometimes, people crave burnt food. Someone might burn toast on purpose to get that burnt taste. Maybe you heat up that marshmallow until it becomes as black as night.
All of this might seem a little strange to you, but it means your body is trying to tell you something. When food items are burnt, a lot of carbon is created. The reason you’re craving this food might be that your body needs more carbon.
Carbon deficiency
Carbon deficiency is a real thing as strange as it might sound. Most people have never heard of any dietician saying you need carbon yet you do. The good thing is many foods contain enough carbon to keep your body happy. You just need to add more fresh fruits to your diet.
It should be pointed out that only about 12 percent of Americans eat enough fruit per day, so most of the population is lacking in this area. You should eat about two cups of fruit each day. Of course, you can always add a little more fruit to your diet if you want, but that’s the minimum.
Make sure the fruit is fresh and in season. You can contact a local farm to see if you can go pick some fresh fruit so that you get the most nutrients from the fruit you eat.
The Maillard reaction
Sometimes, the reason you’re craving something has nothing to do with a carbon deficiency. Maybe what you’re experiencing is the Maillard reaction. Cooking may seem straightforward, but the truth is a lot is going on. There are a number of chemical reactions happening while you’re cooking that you can’t see.
When you push your food items to the brink, that’s when the food starts to burn. Before the food burns completely, the Maillard reaction occurs when the food starts to brown slightly. The reason your food starts to brown at this stage is that the amino acids and the sugar in the food you’re making are forced to rearrange. When this happens, circles form, which is why your food starts to look brown.
The taste of food that has gone through this reaction is pretty distinct. It’s a cross between bitter and savory. You’ve probably experienced this sometimes. If you’ve eaten charred bits off a chicken wing or a leg, you know what this taste is.
There are a handful of people who love that charred taste, and they let their popcorn cook longer than needed or char those chicken wings, but there is also a good chunk of people who are doing this out of necessity. As mentioned earlier, their body just needs a little carbon.
Try to keep in mind that burnt food has a strong smell. Try to be conscious of this before you let that popcorn burn at your place of work.
It’s easier to just have two cups of fresh fruit every day rather than secretly burning food when no one is around. Keep in mind that burning something at home or your office means you might have to worry about setting off the alarm, and no one wants that to happen either.