Let’s talk particularly about food cravings. Food cravings are intense desires to consume a specific food and are stronger than normal hunger. To understand more about food cravings, we must first understand what some of the potential cause’s might be. Food cravings can be brought on for a variety of reasons and can be physical or mental in certain cases.
Physical causes of food cravings may be due to an imbalance in the ghrelin and leptin hormones, also known as the hunger and fullness hormones. An imbalance in these hormones may cause some people to experience more food cravings than others. Lack of sleep is another factor that can affect the levels of these hormone and potentially increase food cravings, especially in the evening. Other physical causes of food cravings include poor diet. A diet low in protein and fiber may cause feelings of hunger, even when you are full.
Other causes of food cravings can be brought on by stress and mood. Stress can increase levels of the cortisol hormone. High cortisol levels may be linked to feelings of hunger, cravings, and binge eating behavior. Certain moods may trigger cravings for specific foods, for example, negative moods may spark cravings for comfort foods. Specific situations can cause food cravings, for instance watching a movie may trigger cravings for popcorn.
Ways to manage food cravings:
- Drink water. Thirst is often confused with hunger and food cravings.
- Eat more protein. Eating more protein may reduce appetite and prevent overeating.
- Plan your meals.
- Avoid getting extremely hungry.
- Don’t go to the supermarket hungry.
Being mindful of food cravings may help identify craving triggers and ultimately help reduce them.
Resources:
Hack Your Habits (acefitness.org)
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-ways-to-stop-food-cravings
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