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Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D Responds:
Miriam E. Nelson, PhD, of Tufts University and the best-selling author of the Strong Women book series, responds: The answer may be simpler than you think. What you are experiencing is likely a combination of food cravings and food preferences. Food preferences—the foods you enjoy eating and consume regularly—are developed early in life. Your husband may have developed a preference for steak, while you like chicken or fish. Research suggests that there are, indeed, gender differences in the foods we eat.
Cravings, however, are a different matter. You may not be able to keep chocolate around the house, and your husband may struggle to resist filet mignon, but from a strict cravings standpoint, it's not all about gender. Men report having food cravings less frequently than women, but when cravings occur, both sexes tend to want sweets such as chocolate equally—although men tend to indulge with less guilt when they give in. The bottom line: If you love chocolate (or steak), it's okay to indulge, so long as it's not in large portions or every day. Treat yourself to small amounts of high-quality chocolate or steak periodically—and relish each nibble.
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Miriam E. Nelson
Ph.D
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