The science behind food cravings

Originally published in April 2018.

This whole journey to discover exactly what food cravings are and why we have them is a result of my own cravings that I’ve been having for a few months now. I wanted to eat sweets all the time. Either I craved ice creams in the middle of the night or cakes and sweets during the day or after every meal.

“If cravings were an indicator of nutritional deficiency, we’d all be craving fruits and vegetables,” says Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN. “The fact that we all crave high-carb and high-fat foods, along with the research, is a very good indicator that cravings are not deficiency-related. (Source)”

And, strangely enough, I don’t have a sweet tooth. In fact, I mix my sweets with snacks to balance my palate. And, this made me worry if I had diabetes or pre-diabetes.

I confirmed the same with my doctor since I am being treated for acute folic acid deficiency. He completely denied the claim that cravings have anything to do with diabetes or pre-diabetes for that matter.

Anyway, back to the topic, it turns out it’s totally normal crave any food that stabilizes you emotionally. Hunger and emotions play a huge role in triggering cravings, but there’s a lot more involved. So let’s see why cravings happen?

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Are you pregnant?

If so, it’s quite common that pregnant women have the craziest food cravings ever! So let’s move on.

Hormonal changes and menstruation

Mainly applicable to women, hormones can play an important role in a woman’s moods and preferences. And of course PMS days and periods time is equally the same.

Hormonal changes also happen in men, but they are quite limited compared to women, so I’m not sure how much food cravings they have because of their hormones.

Dehydration

Now, let me come up with a simpler reason why you will get hunger pangs and times. I’ve long stated that your hunger could just be a sign that your body needs water, including those times when you need a late night snack. So, the next time you think you’re feeling hungry or that you might try a snack on your brain, try drinking a glass of water.

Eating Habits

“Eating a diet too high in sugar (yin) can cause cravings for meat (yang). Eating too much raw food (yin) can cause a craving for highly cooked (dehydrated) food and vice versa. (Source)”

Another reason why we crave food is said to be our eating habits. If we consistently consume food rich in carbohydrates and fat, our body recognizes it as the only nutritional source. It is said that Our body only craves what we eat on a regular basishence the need for carbohydrate-rich food.

And, if we suddenly change our diet, it is not able to adapt to the change. This could be it one of the reasons why people are unable to follow healthy diets.

Where this point does not apply to a person who eats a well-balanced meal on a consistent basis. Also, I think a well-balanced diet also keeps a person full for longer and such people do not crave for food usually.

Nutritional Deficiency

This is another reason touted to be the most valid for any kind of food craving. Some claim it Food cravings are your body’s way of telling you that it is lacking in some nutrient or another. Now, whether this theory is true or not is not really proven. Some accept it and few others reject it.

“Certain foods, like sugar, stimulate your brain’s reward center in much the same way that drugs like cocaine and heroin do. These foods cause your body to release endorphins, which are the “feel good” hormones, every time you eat them. (Source)”

Longing for sugar means your blood sugar levels are lowdesire Salty foods mean you are stressed or your sodium regulation levels are cloudy, craving Chocolate means you’re running out of magnesiumdesire cheese or other fatty items may mean you are deficient in essential fatty acids on the body. This sounds really unlikely, but then who knows?

Also, there is another kind of longing – the one for non-food items such as clay, paste, chalk and other things. It is proven that longing for such objects means that a person is lack of iron or calcium. And, such desires are it prevails mainly in children whose nutritional needs are not properly met.

Btw, when you have no energy, a sweet can instantly cheer you up. Now, that’s not really craving.

Emotional Health

This is in my opinion one of the most important factors that play a role in how man needs his food. Binge eating when you are stressed or sad it is quite common to most people. Likewise, a stressful times in your life, unhappy relationships, trauma, all can make you crave comfort foods. This point is actually very much related to psychology which is the next thing I will discuss.

Psychology

So, why do we crave food? Most of the scientists seem to believe that our tendency to crave food is based on how we feel. So, when we crave food, our psychological need is more important than a physiological need.

Brain power is focused on imagining food. The mental image is very vivid and causes food cravings. Distraction at that time works best to control the craving.

But that doesn’t mean cravings aren’t real – and that they don’t have true, normal origins. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers were able to determine which brain regions are associated with memory, emotion, and — big surprise! — anxiety flares up when a person has a strong craving for food. And this brain response, combined with a visual cue, according to another study, increases the level of the “hunger hormone”, leptin. “That’s why a lot of foods that are commonly craved—like mac and cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches or cookies—are kid foods. They are associated with happy memories, with a sense of calm.” Additionally, there is a positive reinforcement feedback loop. Foods high in fat and sugar help produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps us feel calm and relaxed. (Source)

Physiological Reasons

Sometimes cravings are due to physical needs. For example, if you’ve exercised a lot or been out and sweated a lot, your sodium levels drop due to excessive sweating. Right now, you may be craving salty foods.

Stress

Well, stress can do many things to your body. One of them is that it produces cortisol which in turn affects the adrenal glands which regulate sodium levels in the body. Since adrenaline production is not right, you may crave salty foods when you are stressed due to irregular ex sodium levels in the body.

This is just a little research I did on why we crave. If I find more arguments about cravings, I’ll be sure to get back to you with that knowledge!

So why do you think you get cravings? Have you ever craved water or indulged in emotional eating? Or, have you noticed a pattern in your cravings? Share your views in the comments below!

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