What are the real reasons behind your cravings for foods like chips, chocolate, and ice cream? Discover the emotional and psychological factors that drive these cravings and learn how to satisfy them in a healthier way.

Emotional Drivers of Food Cravings

Contrary to popular belief, food cravings are often not tied to nutritional deficiencies, but rather to emotional and psychological factors. According to clinical nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, many common cravings are rooted in our emotional experiences and the associations we’ve formed with certain foods from a young age.

For instance, the desire for sweet treats like chocolate or cake may be linked to the way these foods were used as rewards or comforts during childhood. The anticipation of these “feel-good” foods triggers the release of dopamine, the brain’s “pleasure chemical,” creating a sense of happiness and satisfaction that can become addictive.

Similarly, cravings for creamy, fatty foods like ice cream or pasta can arise during times of stress or busy schedules, as these comforting textures can provide a sense of grounding and stability in the face of chaos.

The Difference Between Homeostatic and Hedonic Hunger

Registered dietitian Amy Gorin explains that there are two types of hunger: homeostatic hunger, which is the physical need to eat, and hedonic hunger, the desire to eat for pleasure. Cravings often stem from hedonic hunger, where we’re seeking the sensory experience and emotional satisfaction of certain foods, rather than a true biological need.

For example, you might crave salty snacks like potato chips after a workout, when your body actually needs to replenish the salt lost through sweating. But the craving may also arise simply from the enjoyment of the salty, fatty flavors and textures, rather than a physical requirement.

The Link Between Cravings and Addictive Eating

Research has shown that different types of cravings can have varying consequences. A study published in the journal Eating Behaviors found that cravings for sweets and other high-carbohydrate foods were more closely associated with binge eating and other addictive eating behaviors, while cravings for fats were more closely linked to increased body mass index.

This suggests that the emotional and psychological factors driving our cravings can have real impacts on our eating habits and overall health. Understanding the root causes of your cravings can be an important step in developing healthier coping mechanisms.

Satisfying Cravings in a Healthier Way

While it’s not always possible to eliminate cravings entirely, there are strategies you can use to satisfy them in a more mindful and nutritious way. For example, if you’re craving sweets, try reaching for whole fruits or lightened-up desserts made with natural sweeteners and healthy fats, rather than indulging in sugary, refined treats.

Additionally, you can work on addressing the underlying emotional factors that may be driving your cravings, such as stress, boredom, or a need for comfort. Developing new hobbies or activities that provide a sense of fulfillment can help fill that void and reduce the reliance on food as a emotional crutch.

Cravings and Hormonal Fluctuations

Certain cravings, such as the desire for chocolate during menstruation, may be influenced by hormonal changes. Studies have shown that chocolate contains polyphenols that can boost mood and even mimic the feeling of romantic love. This can make it a tempting go-to when women are experiencing hormonal imbalances that affect their emotions and mood.

Understanding the biological and psychological factors at play can help individuals better manage these cravings and find healthier alternatives that still provide the desired emotional and sensory experience.

Conclusion

Cravings are complex, with various factors contributing to their emergence. While they may not always be tied to nutritional deficiencies, it’s important to recognize the emotional and psychological drivers behind our cravings in order to develop effective strategies for satisfying them in a healthy and sustainable way.

By understanding the role that emotional associations, hedonic hunger, and hormonal fluctuations play in shaping our cravings, we can learn to better manage them and make choices that support our overall well-being, rather than letting our cravings dictate our eating habits.

The Real Reasons You’re Craving These 7 Foods

By Brianna SteinhilberMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDN

Reviewed: October 24, 2017

Medically Reviewed

Getting to the Root of What’s Fueling Your Food Cravings

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There’s a lot of talk about food cravings stemming from nutritional deficiencies, but research has not proved this to be true. If you’ve ever been tempted to blame your chocolate urges on a magnesium deficiency, Kimberly Snyder, a clinical nutritionist and the author of The Beauty Detox Power, would beg to disagree. She claims your desire for chocolate is more likely coming from an emotional place than a biological one.

“I do believe it’s important to listen to your body and feel what foods you are naturally drawn to,” says Snyder. “Overall though, many common cravings are tied to emotional root causes. We often crave foods with specific textures — crunchy, soft, creamy, or smooth — and these textures correspond to particular emotions. ”

“There are two types of hunger,” explains Amy Gorin, RDN, of Amy Gorin Nutrition, in the New York City area. “Homeostatic hunger, or the physical need to eat, and hedonic hunger, the desire to eat foods for pleasure.” For instance, she notes, “you might be craving salt when your body actually needs it, such as after a hard workout during which you lost salt through sweating. Or you might be craving the salty food as more of a comfort food, since foods that tend to be salty are also ones that are higher in fat, like potato chips, which is what we crave sometimes during hedonic hunger.”

It’s not hard to grasp the psychological component of food cravings and how we may have been conditioned, from childhood, to want certain foods right now. Take sweets, for instance. “Most of us grew up with sweets being presented as a reward,” says Snyder. “The very anticipation of a reward triggers the neurotransmitter dopamine in our brain and studies show that regular bingeing on sugar stimulates dopamine — the ‘feel-good’ chemical, which is very addictive. ”

Or maybe you don’t have an out-of-control sweet tooth but you still find yourself wanting to reach for the carton of cookie dough ice cream. Snyder sees clients craving fatty foods like ice cream and cream-laden dishes during extremely busy times, when they are being pulled in different directions. “During these times, fat can feel stabilizing. It’s heavy in your stomach and takes a while to digest, which can feel like it is grounding for you,” she says.

Different cravings also appear to have different consequences. A study published in December 2015 in the journal Eating Behaviors looked at the relationship between food cravings and addictive eating. Researchers found that cravings for sweets and other foods high in carbohydrates may be more closely linked with bingeing and other addictive eating behaviors, while cravings for fats seem to be more closely associated with increased body mass index.

Cravings announce themselves clearly, but what’s behind them is complex, and various factors come into play. While cravings aren’t always tied to emotional eating, before you reach for that piece of cake or bowl of pasta, check to see if your emotions may be to blame — and learn the smart ways to combat the cravings.

Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro.

Satisfy a Craving for Sweets With Less Sugar

Jill Chen/Stocksy

From a young age, many of us come to associate celebrations with sweets, from cake at birthday parties to dessert after finishing our veggies. “This is part of what makes sugar so comforting. And for many of us, sugary treats are like a hug — soothing and reassuring,” says Snyder. “The sugar can make us feel temporarily happy or comforted, especially if those feelings are lacking or if we’re stressed or sad in any way.”

Curb Your Craving With This Satisfy a sweet tooth with whole fruits and lightened-up desserts free of refined sugars and unhealthy fats, such as these Raw Brownies With Mint Cashew Cream.

Change What You Crave Like This Become aware of the sweets-reward connection from your childhood to understand where this craving comes from, as well as the circumstances surrounding the craving. Establish a new goal or hobby that will produce these “feel-good” feelings, like painting, gardening, or playing an instrument.

Don’t Make Chocolate Your Go-To Mood Booster

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The creamy treat contains polyphenols that boost your mood, according to a study published in May 2013 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, and can even mimic the feeling of romantic love — studies show that just looking at and smelling chocolate can activate the pleasure center of the brain. So it’s no surprise that we reach for a bar when we’re feeling lonely or sad, or during menstruation when women tend to have hormonal imbalances that affect mood.

Curb Your Craving With This Instead of candies, cakes, and nutrient-devoid milk or white chocolate, subdue your cravings with a smoothie made with cacao or a 1-ounce serving of dark chocolate.

Change What You Crave Like This Snyder recommends taking a whiff of coffee beans, which contain the same odor that triggers your brain’s pleasure centers. Hitting the gym when a craving strikes can also boost mood and serotonin levels, and help calm the munchies.

Find Energy and Release in Exercise Instead of Full-Fat Dairy

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Do you find yourself hankering for a cheese plate or a creamy milkshake? Cheese contains the stimulant tyramine and milk contains tryptophan — which triggers the release of the “feel-good chemical” serotonin — as well as choline, which has soothing properties, Snyder explains. Plus, much of what makes cheese so appealing is its creamy texture, which can be comforting, she adds.

Curb Your Craving With This “When I’m craving ice cream,” says Gorin, “I find that I’m really just after that creamy texture. So I’ll often make my own banana-based ice cream. I’ll blend or process frozen bananas with unsweetened cocoa powder, and I get my creamy fix while also getting some fruit into my day.”

Change What You Crave Like This Engage in mood-boosting activities like hiking and yoga, which release endorphins and can also be soothing and comforting for the body.

Feel Satisfied Without Loading Up on Fat

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“Fatty foods tend to be comforting. And we’re faced with more than 200 food decisions every day, so if the office doughnuts make an appearance, you might be tempted to give in.” But that doesn’t mean you can’t take comfort in healthy comfort foods, says Gorin. She points to a study published in December 2014 in Health Psychology that found that healthier comfort food, such as popcorn, is just as likely to boost a negative mood as a more caloric comfort food, such as ice cream, or a food that subjects felt neutral about, such as a granola bar.

Curb Your Craving With This Reach for an avocado to get the creamy texture you crave, plus a natural energy and mood boost. Avocados are also a source of healthy fats.

Change What You Crave Like This Seek out other, consistent ways to comfort yourself. Schedule time to meditate or simply sit in silence for a few minutes to get centered. Snyder also suggests finding a group of like-minded people that you can connect with; maybe it’s a book club, a yoga studio, or a gardening group.

Channel Stress Away From Salty and Crunchy Snacks

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“If I put a pile of salt in front of you, I highly doubt you would lap it up,” says Snyder. What you may be craving is something crunchy, like salty potato chips and pretzels (Snyder’s own personal vice). Cravings for salty, crunchy foods might indicate “frustration, anger, stress, or resentment,” she adds. “Crunching down with your jaw is cathartic, almost like punching a wall. When I got stressed before, I would often turn to pretzels.”

Then again, you might just really want something salty. If that’s the case, Gorin notes that there “are ways to satisfy your craving while not taking in a lot of sodium. One of her go-tos is Wonderful Pistachios, available in unsalted and lightly salted varieties. “If you compare pistachios to salty potato chips, you get a lot more per 30 gram (about 1 ounce) serving — 49 nuts versus just 15 chips — as well as less sodium. Plus, you also get healthy fat, protein, and fiber to help keep you full.”

Curb Your Craving With This Reach for kale chips, air-popped popcorn, and crunchy produce like apples, celery, and carrots. Dip veggie sticks into hummus if you feel the urge for chips and dip coming on!

Change What You Crave Like This Exercise to release pent up tension and stress. Snyder also encourages people to identify the areas in their life that are causing stress and take steps to eradicate them. Something as small as a phone call to a family member or an email to a coworker to address an issue can help eliminate undue stress.

Seek Comfort in Sources Other Than Carbs

The urge to eat pasta, bread, and cookies tends to really kick in when we’re stressed or sad. Not only do these “comfort foods” have mood-boosting properties and provide a short-term energy boost, but many of us associate them with comfort from an early age, says Snyder. Think: Chocolate chip cookies served up by Mom when you had a hard day or the comforting smell of your grandma’s freshly baked bread. When you’re feeling agitated or upset, you may subconsciously be turning to carbs for comfort.

Curb Your Craving With This Get creative with veggies to re-create the textures you crave. Try Snyder’s cauliflower gnocchi or spaghetti squash and meatballs, and incorporate whole, unrefined carbs like quinoa, sweet potatoes, and squash into your diet.

Change What You Crave Like This Notice when stressful situations arise and stop to take a breath and calm down. Remove any unnecessary stress from your life: Leave earlier to avoid traffic and schedule fewer activities so you don’t have to rush around. Adding yoga into your exercise routine provides a way to release the tension that you may be holding in your body.

Recharge Without So Much Coffee and Soda

Jill Chen/Stocksy; Getty Images

Cravings don’t only relate to food, but beverages as well, and two of the most common culprits are coffee and soda. When cravings for caffeinated beverages strike, “there are a couple of things going on,” says Gorin. “If you consume caffeine daily, you become reliant on the stimulant effect, and if you don’t have it one day, you’re likely to experience withdrawal symptoms, such as a headache. If you take in a higher caffeine amount regularly, you may be more likely to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Then there’s also the fact the caffeine readily comes in the form of coffee, which is a soothing beverage because it’s hot. If you’re trying to cut back on your caffeine content, you could switch your second cup of coffee to decaf or tea — and still get the antioxidant benefit.”

Soda, in addition to being sweet, is carbonated, and these bubbles, says Snyder, signify levity, creativity, and fun, which is why it can feel like a pick-me-up.

Curb Your Craving With This Try sparkling water with cranberry and lime or kombucha tea. Adding a green smoothie to your routine will also help boost energy naturally with whole foods, without the need for caffeine.

Change What You Crave Like This To kick the habit, Snyder recommends keeping a regular bedtime to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. In addition, find creative projects within your current work or outside of work that you can get excited about.

What To Eat When You’re Craving Chips

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We’ve all been there. That moment when the thought of a flavor-packed, crunch-inducing potato chip seems unavoidable. That craving that catches you totally off guard and usually unprotected. But if you’re trying to eat clean and healthy, what’s a potato chip-craving person to do? Here are my ideas for what to eat when you’re craving chips.

This isn’t an all-inclusive list that will be a perfect fit for everyone. That would be impossible. But if you are wanting to break the chip habit and try getting your crunch from healthier options, this list might give you some ideas.

I know that chip cravings can be intense. I had them a lot myself in the beginning and occasionally, I do enjoy chips <gasp!!>. But I  choose to buy healthier versions. You won’t catch me with a bag of Doritos these days. I make my own, or I find something else to eat.

But keep in mind the 80/20 rule. You have to make room for life to happen and if that means a bag of chips in your future, then don’t beat yourself up. It’s what you do the majority of the time that counts. So enjoy those chips, but then continue with clean eating.

However, if you really don’t want to walk that fine line, there are definitely other options.

First of all, think about why you want it. Is it the crunch? The flavor? Are you actually hungry? Are you bored? Trying to distract yourself from something you’d rather not be doing?

Cravings are often emotional. But if you can rule that out, then here are some alternatives to try.

What To Eat When You’re Craving Chips:

If you’re craving chips, there are lots of healthy alternatives. Here are some of them:

1. Apples
2. Carrots
3. Celery (maybe with nut butter?)
4. Nuts
5. Roasted Chickpeas (these are GREAT!)
6. Organic popcorn
7. Seeds
8. Granola
9. Trail mix
10. Raw sugar snap peas
11. Homemade organic corn or sprouted grain tortilla chips
12. Whole grain pretzels (read ingredients!)
13. Cucumber slices with salsa
14. Toast
15. Whole grain crackers or brown rice crackers

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Why chips are harmful, Novosibirsk – March 22, 2023

Doctors recommend choosing fruit and vegetable chips, but, alas, not from potatoes

Infographics: Yuri Orlov

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they talk about why chips are harmful, is it possible to find useful ones among them and how often they can be eaten. Details are in our material.

Doctor-expert of the laboratory “Hemotest” Ekaterina Kashukh is sure that traditional chips cannot be called a useful product. Because their basis is thin slices of potatoes, fried in a large amount of oil at a high temperature and then covered with salt and spices.

– With such processing, the root crop loses its beneficial properties – vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber. Only starch remains in it – a substance with a high calorie content. Vegetable oil significantly adds calories to chips, and there is also little nutritional value in it. The problem is also an excess of salt, which is introduced by manufacturers to enhance the taste. This is especially harmful for people with high blood pressure and edema. With these ailments, doctors recommend limiting salt in the diet, says Ekaterina Kashukh.

Gastroenterologist, nutritionist, therapist at the Zdravitsa Family Medicine Center Irina Fedorchenko notes that a high salt content can be harmful for hypertensive patients, so the presence of flavoring additives in large quantities can harm the body:

– Potato chips are fried on oil, which at high temperatures forms carcinogenic substances. Also, fried potatoes become a high-calorie product with a high glycemic index, that is, it is able to increase blood sugar. And there is also a technology for making chips from starch, which, when fried, has an even higher glycemic index.

Fried potatoes are becoming a high-calorie product with a high glycemic index, doctors say

Photo: Ekaterina Tychinina / 74.RU

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Therapist at the Invitro Multidisciplinary Medical Center Svetlana Trunko notices that chips hurt the most children, especially in adolescence:

– The fact is that their endocrine system is very mobile and the presence of a large number of chips in the diet is the first step towards obesity, which, alas, can remain with a person for life. Obesity contributes to diabetes, cardiovascular problems, neurological diseases.

According to Irina Fedorchenko, chips are not a product for every day and you don’t need to use them often:

the rest of the time he eats properly and in a balanced way.

Irina Fedorchenko believes that an alternative to chips is dried fruits and vegetables (that is, other than potatoes): ideally, if you dried them yourself, since technological aids may not be indicated in the composition.

Svetlana Trunko is sure that fruit chips, unlike potato chips, do not contain dyes, preservatives and carcinogens, which are formed during frying in oil. They are obtained, as a rule, by drying, while preserving vitamins and minerals.

Doctor Svetlana Trunko recommends fruit chips. In the photo – apple

Photo: Ksenia Filimonova / IRCITY.RU

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Vegetable chips, according to her, will also retain vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, which will stimulate the bowels. When choosing vegetable chips, it is imperative to study the composition: if it contains salt, vegetable fats, vegetable oil, then it is better to refuse such a purchase.

– It is better to choose chips, which, apart from the vegetables themselves, contain almost nothing, not even salt. It is worth paying attention to dried slices of beets, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, – Svetlana Trunko gives examples.

Ekaterina Kashukh as an alternative option for those who like to crunch will recommend chips from seaweed, chickpeas or whole grains:

— You can’t eat them every day either, but the harm from eating will be many times less.

Doctors and chemists from Novosibirsk told whether it is possible to reheat water up to 100 degrees and what temperature it is better to drink.

What drinks can replace coffee – useful tips.

The doctors explained what would happen if you eat lemons and garlic every day.

If you also want to learn something from doctors, send your questions to the medical observer NGS Maria Tishchenko: [email protected] or by phone: +7 961 845-55-78 (WhatsApp, SMS, Telegram).

A tireless party-goer or a sociopath: your favorite taste of chips will tell everything about your character

• Lifestyle

Many people like to crunch chips in front of the TV or while talking. Did you know that the taste of the snacks we choose can reveal hidden traits of our character? The psychologist explains what’s going on here.

June 22, 2023

Source:

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Doctors believe that chips are more harmful than cakes: snacks contain a lot of salt, preservatives, fat, various flavor enhancers. But it is very difficult to stop when you have already put your hand into the package: all the consequences fade into the background. Chips are loved and bought. It’s not worth reproaching yourself for this, sometimes you can eat junk food, but it’s important to know the measure in everything – a simple but effective rule.

By the way, you can still learn something about a person’s personality from chips. According to psychologist Emma Kenny, we choose certain tastes for a reason – psychology is much more subtle than many used to think.

The expert told what exactly the choice of this or that taste of chips can tell about a person.

Chips with salt can be considered a classic, this is the most neutral taste. According to Kenny, chips with salt are chosen by people with a balanced temperament who stay away from unnecessary drama. Plus, lovers of such snacks prefer a measured rhythm of life, it is important for them that everything goes according to plan.

“But this does not mean that you are too restrained in entertainment. Surprisingly, you will often be the first and last person on the dance floor!” Kenny points out.

Salt and Vinegar

Quite an unusual taste, but many people like it.

“Those who know and love you would describe you as a person of extremes. You are the life and soul of the company, as well as an introspective deep thinker, ”says the psychologist.

According to Kenny, fans of unusual chips tend to over-analyze, which is why from time to time they struggle with impostor syndrome and self-doubt.

“You work hard to fulfill your dreams and ambitions, but you never want to appear arrogant, which can lead to you not being able to celebrate your successes,” adds the psychologist.

Such people are deeply loved by those closest to them and have an uncanny ability to effortlessly cheer up depressed friends and family members.

Read also

Cheese and onions

Here the options may be different:

The psychologist suggested that fans of this taste know exactly what they want, and without any doubt strive to achieve goals. They are typical sociopaths.

“Your actions may be seen by some as a little cruel, but in reality you are simply focused on getting the best out of your life and ensuring the well-being of those you love,” she added.

It is difficult for such people to give up their own point of view, even if they realize that they were wrong. And stubbornness is to blame.

“You have your own opinions and love heated discussions, but you are also a good listener, so you succeed both in work and in personal relationships,” said the psychologist.

Seafood

Here we are talking about chips with crab, lobster, shrimp. Fans of such snacks may seem calm and cold, although inside they are actually mischievous children.

“Your laugh is so infectious that people around you can’t help but giggle in unison,” says Kenny.

When it comes to serious events, these people are often appointed organizers. They know how to plan, while providing a relaxed atmosphere at the party.

“Your energy is contagious and you are always thinking about the next great adventure you can embark on. You believe that life is better lived to the full,” she emphasizes.

See also

Spicy flavors

These can be chips with pickled onions, peppers, wasabi.