What Causes Food Cravings? And What Can We Do About It?

Many of us are trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less ultra-processed foods. But why is sticking to your goals so demanding?

Fatty, sugary, salty foods are just so enjoyable to eat. And it’s not just you – we evolved that way. These foods activate reward system in the brain because in the past it was rare.

They are all around us now. In wealthy, state-of-the-art societies, we are bombarded with advertisements that deliberately remind us of the sight, smell, and taste of caloric foods. And in response to these powerful cues, our brains respond exactly as they were designed to, triggering intense desire to eat them.

Here’s how food cravings work and what you can do when you find yourself craving something sweet or salty.

What causes cravings?

A food craving is an intense desire or need to eat something, often focuses on specific foods.

We are programmed to learn how good food tastes and smells, as well as where we can find it again, especially if it is high in fat, sugar or salt.

Something that reminds us enjoying a certain food, such as an eye-catching advertisement or a delicious smell, can cause want this.

The cue triggers a physical response, increasing saliva production and stomach activity. These responses are relatively automatic and complex to control.

What else influences our choices?

Although the influence of cues on our physical response is relatively automatic, what we do next is influenced complex factors.
The decision about whether to eat a particular product may depend on factors such as price, ease of availability of the product, and whether consuming it will align with your health goals.

But it’s usually demanding to remember to eat fit. That’s because we tend to prioritize a more immediate reward, like the pleasure of eatingnot those that are delayed or abstract – including health goals that will make us feel good in the long term.

Stress can also make us eat more. When we are hungry, choose larger portionsunderestimate calories and eat more satisfactory.

Are you looking for something salty or sweet?

What if a signal prompts us to seek out a particular food, but it is not available?

Previous studies suggested that you would then look for something that makes you feel good. So if you see someone eating a donut but no one is around, you might eat some chips or even have a drink.

But our new research confirmed something you probably knew: it’s more detailed.

If a crisp advert makes you seek out food, chances are a slice of cake won’t cut it – you’ll be looking for something salty. Cues in our environment not only make us crave food in general, but also lead us to seek out specific “categories” of food, such as salty, sweet or creamy.

Eating Tips and Mindless Eating

Your eating history AND genetics can also make it harder to suppress food cravings. But don’t blame yourself – relying on willpower alone is hard for almost everyone.

Food cues are so powerful that they can lead us to to look for we eat certain foods even if we are not particularly overwhelmed strong need eat. The effect is more intense if food is easily accessible.

This helps explain why we can eat an entire gigantic bag of chips in front of us, even though our pleasure diminishes over time. eat. Sometimes we operate the end of a packet as a signal to stop food rather than hunger and lust.

Is there anything I can do to resist cravings?

We largely have no control over the cues in our environment and the cravings they trigger. But there are some ways to try to control the situations in which you make food choices.

• Recognize your cravings and think of a healthier way to satisfy them. For example, if you’re craving chips, can you try lightly salted nuts instead? If you want something sweet, you can try fruit.

• Avoid shopping when you are hungry and make a list in advance.Making the most of click and collect or supermarket delivery options can also lend a hand you avoid advertising and impulse buys in the aisle.

• Make sure that fruits and vegetables are easily accessible and perceptible at home. Also have other nutrient-dense, fiber-rich, unprocessed foods on hand, such as nuts or plain yogurt. If you can, eliminate foods high in fat, sugar, and salt from your environment.

• Make sure your nutritional goals are WISEThis means that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

• Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat something that doesn’t meet your health goals. Just keep trying.