Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. This content should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition or health issue. Always seek the guidance of your physician or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Cravings are often nutrient deficiencies in disguise. Researchers call it “hidden hunger”: you can eat enough calories, but if you aren’t meeting your mineral needs, you’ll still feel hungry at the end of a big meal. [ * ]

The reason is that minerals play a central role in hunger signaling. When you’re short on certain minerals you’ll struggle to feel satisfied, no matter how much food you eat.

Here’s how mineral deficiencies contribute to cravings and hunger, and how replenishing your mineral stores can help you end food cravings for good.

Ironically, “hidden hunger” is most prevalent in developed countries. It’s often the result of eating processed food: cheap meals that are high in calories and low in nutrition.

That said, even healthy foods like fruits and vegetables have low mineral content today. Nutrient density in produce has fallen over the last half-century, thanks to commercial farming that optimizes mass production over nutrition. [ * ][ * ]

It’s hard to get enough nutrients, even with a good diet. The result is that most of us have mineral deficiencies—more than 90% of American adults, according to the CDC [ * ].

Minerals Control Your Hunger Hormones

Minerals regulate leptin and ghrelin , your two main hunger hormones.

Leptin makes you feel full, while ghrelin makes you feel hungry. When you’re short on minerals, both go in the wrong direction. Your hormones drive you to eat more and feel less satisfied while you do it.

Here’s what the research says about minerals and hunger hormones:

• A 2012 study found that low zinc decreases leptin, making it harder to feel full after you eat. [ * ] Taking a zinc supplement increases leptin and lowers appetite. [ * ]
  
  

• A 2021 review found that magnesium increases leptin synthesis, so you feel more full after meals. [ * ]
  
  

• A 2015 study found that a calcium supplement suppressed appetite in healthy adults. The researchers concluded that calcium’s effect on ghrelin likely played a part. [ * ]
  
  

• A 2023 study found that selenium helps you absorb and retain the above minerals, as well as several others. [ * ] It’s good for preventing mineral shortages that affect your appetite.
  
  

If you eat a lot but never feel satisfied, there’s a high chance you have a mineral deficiency. Balancing your mineral levels may help.

Replenish Your Minerals to Get Rid of Cravings

The good news is that it’s easy to replenish your body’s mineral stores. All you need is a high-quality, full-spectrum mineral supplement.

At BEAM Minerals , we make supplementing simple. All you do is take a 1-oz. shot of concentrated liquid each morning. It tastes like water and contains every essential mineral your body needs, in the right ratios, with high bioavailability.

BEAM is a gentle, effective way to replenish all your minerals at once. It’s especially good for balancing appetite, and you’ll feel it working within days.

If food cravings are making your life difficult, give BEAM Minerals a try. You’ll be surprised by how much better you feel when your body’s getting the minerals it needs.