Have you ever found yourself reaching for a bag of chips late at night, even though you’re not hungry? Or perhaps you’ve experienced an intense desire for chocolate during a stressful day at work? (It can’t be just me ).  Food cravings are common, but not necessarily normal. Understanding the science behind these cravings and learning how to manage them is key to developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with food. Today, we’re delving into the fascinating world of food cravings, exploring their causes, the role of the brain, and science-backed strategies to keep them in check.

The Science Behind Food Cravings

Food cravings are not simply a matter of lacking willpower or self-control. They are deeply rooted in biology and psychology, often triggered by a combination of physical and emotional factors. Let’s break down the science behind food cravings by understanding 6 common reasons they happen:

1. Brain Chemistry: The brain plays a significant role in food cravings. Certain foods, especially those high in sugar, fat, and salt, can trigger the release of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine. Dopamine is associated with pleasure and reward, creating a positive association with the food. When you consume these foods, your brain releases dopamine, making you feel happy and satisfied. Over time, your brain may start craving these foods to replicate that pleasurable feeling.
2. Hormones: Hormones also influence food cravings. For example, fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle can lead to increased cravings for sweets or salty snacks in some women. Similarly, stress hormone cortisol can drive cravings for comfort foods high in carbohydrates and fats.
3. Nutrient Deficiencies: Sometimes, your body may crave specific foods because it lacks essential nutrients. For instance, if you’re low on iron, your body might crave red meat or leafy greens. If you’re low on magnesium, your body might crave chocolate.  If you’re low on electrolytes or dehydrated, your body might crave salty foods to help you retain water. This is your body’s way of signaling its nutritional needs.
4. Blood Sugar Imbalances: When your blood sugar temporarily drops below its comfortable baseline (even if that baseline is elevated above what a healthy baseline would be), the body often perceives the drop as a survival threat, prompting a desire for quick sources of energy, often in the form of sugary or high-carbohydrate foods. These cravings serve as a natural response to restore blood glucose levels to normal and ensure the brain and body have the energy they need to function optimally.
5. Emotional Triggers: Emotional states, such as stress, anxiety, sadness, or boredom, can trigger food cravings. Many people turn to comfort foods when they are feeling down as a way to cope with their emotions.
6. Conditioning: Food cravings can also be a result of conditioning. If you associate a certain food with a specific event or emotion, you may find yourself craving that food whenever you experience a similar situation or emotion. For example, if you always have popcorn at the movies, you might crave popcorn when you go to the cinema, even if you’re not hungry.

Managing Food Cravings Through Science

Now that we understand the science behind food cravings, let’s explore science-backed strategies to manage them effectively:

1. Mindful Eating: Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the sensory experience of eating. When you eat mindfully, you savor each bite, chew slowly, and fully appreciate the flavors and textures of your food. Research shows that practicing mindful eating can reduce cravings and improve your relationship with food. Let’s say you’re “craving” chocolate.  One option is to resist the craving for days and weeks and then eventually give in because you just can’t stand it anymore … and eat 5 full-sized bars of chocolate, not really enjoy it, and wind up with a stomach ache.  That’s almost surely not worth it!  What if, instead, you noticed if a craving kept popping up repeatedly, and decided to sit there without distractions and super mindfully enjoy a square or two of chocolate?  You get the same pleasure, without the stomach ache!
2. Balanced Diet: A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods can help reduce cravings caused by nutrient deficiencies. Ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients your body needs to function optimally. Of course, the specifics of this vary based on your genetics, life stage, existing bloodwork and other conditions, activity level, and more, but a great start is to ensure you’re getting at least 5 servings of varied produce per day!
3. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger or food cravings. Make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day to stay properly hydrated.
4. Plan and Prepare: Preparing healthy meals and snacks in advance can help you avoid impulsive food choices driven by cravings. Having nutritious options readily available makes it easier to make healthier choices. You know I’m a big fan of food prep! You can see my weekly food prep on Instagram or find 10 ways to save time food prepping here!
5. Stress Management: Stress … the bane of our existence, right?! Since stress is a common trigger for food cravings, finding healthy ways to manage stress is essential. Techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy can help reduce stress-induced cravings.  Need some tips?  Here are several resources:
   1. 4 breathing exercises I love
   2. Top 10 foods to reduce stress
   3. My personal story of stress, and 10 ways stress is impacting your life
   4. The connection between gut health and stress
   5. 7 Benefits of meditation
6. Positively Distract Yourself: When a craving strikes that you know will not serve you, try to distract yourself with an activity you enjoy, like going for a walk, reading a book, or talking to a friend. Often, cravings are temporary and can be overcome by shifting your focus.
7. Identify Triggers: Keep a food, stress, and lifestyle diary to identify patterns and triggers for your cravings. Do they happen when you’re short on sleep? When you have back to back meetings?  When you haven’t gotten outside in a while?  When you have a bagel for breakfast?  Once you understand what prompts your cravings, you can develop strategies to address them proactively.
8. Allow Yourself to Enjoy Foods You Love, That Love You Back: Depriving yourself of the foods you crave entirely can lead to feelings of restriction and intensified cravings. If it’s a food that you have an allergy to or you know just doesn’t make you feel great, look around for healthier options – I’m sure they exist! Otherwise, take this as my permission to mindfully enjoy your favorite treats occasionally, as long as you feel great about it overall.  Need some help with this?  See this post about making health choices rather than following health rules!
9. Seek Support: If you find that food cravings are significantly impacting your ability to maintain a healthy diet, consider seeking support from a health program, like my Revitalize Health Accelerator or my nutrition consulting programs. They can provide personalized strategies to help you manage cravings.

The Bottom Line

Food cravings are a common part of the human experience, and understanding their underlying science can empower you to make healthier choices. By practicing mindful eating, maintaining a balanced diet, managing stress, and using science-backed strategies, you can successfully manage and reduce your cravings, ultimately supporting your overall health and well-being. Remember, it’s okay to enjoy what you love in moderation, as long as they are part of a balanced and mindful approach to eating.

Now it’s your turn!  Which of these reasons do you think drives most of your cravings?  What did you learn?

️ Want to hear about this topic in audio format? → Check out the podcast episode here!