For anyone who’s ever felt that gotta-have-it feeling, know that food cravings from time to time are totally normal. Cravings can be a tricky thing to navigate because they often come on quickly and intensely, making it difficult to stick to your best nutrition intentions. (If you crave broccoli instead of salty, fatty, or sweet foods, good for you — this article is for the rest of us). One positive is that studies show cravings can actually be unlearned.
Below are some of the most common reasons behind food cravings and tips for how to reduce them.
Low blood sugar
How it affects cravings
Low blood sugar can happen when you go too long without eating because you skipped a meal or a snack. Hunger increases when blood sugar is low, which can lead to cravings and less desirable food choices.
Set yourself up for success
Eat healthy snacks and meals regularly to keep your blood sugar and energy level up. That way, you’re never letting your levels drop too low. Pay attention to when you typically fall into a low-energy slump (the late afternoon for many of us). Then have a healthy and filling snack, like an apple with almond butter, before your blood sugar drops too low, so 15-30 minutes before you typically feel the slump. That should help keep you even-keeled and not as prone to cravings.
Restricted diet
How it affects cravings
What most people don’t realize when they try to eat “super clean” is that it can often backfire by increasing cravings. Cutting out carbs and sugar and only having foods like grilled chicken and salad may feel like the best choice at the moment, but then perhaps you feel an intense craving for sweets or salty snacks mid-afternoon or in the evening before bed. That’s because depriving yourself of certain foods in the short-term actually increases food cravings.
Set yourself up for success
Following a plan like WeightWatchers is ideal because there are no “banned” foods, so you’re not depriving yourself of any certain foods or categories of food and causing rebound cravings. If possible, remember that eating your favorite treats on occasion, or a smaller portion more regularly, can actually reduce your cravings for it.
Boredom
How it affects cravings
Variety is the spice of life. So if your meals are not satisfying you (i.e. you’re eating the same chicken, brown rice, and salad every day), then you’re more likely to experience cravings. Even if you are physically full, you may not be feeling mentally satisfied, and that boredom with your diet can trigger cravings for foods that feel more exciting.
Set yourself up for success
Try mixing up flavors and textures of your foods. You can do that by trying a new recipe once every week or two, cooking with an unfamiliar ingredient or spice, or adding a drizzle of a different sauce (pesto, tzatziki, BBQ sauce, teriyaki, gochujang) to your regular meals to add excitement to the experience.
Trigger foods
How they affect cravings
That bag of chips or box of sugary cereal in your kitchen can draw you into wanting those items more often due to their high fat, high added sugar, and salty content. Research shows that eating these types of ultra-processed foods (generally high in salt, fat, and sugar, but low in protein and fiber) can actually light up your brain’s reward pathways, leading you to feel good and ultimately crave them more often.
Set yourself up for success
Clean out your environment so that you’re not faced with temptations all day long, and replace those unhealthy foods with nutrient-dense ones. If you can’t keep ultraprocessed items out of your home, then keep them in less convenient places like the back of the cupboard or hidden in the pantry. Keep healthier options easily accessible, like fruit, plain fat-free Greek yogurt, individual servings of dark chocolate covered almonds, or veggies with your favorite dip.
Stress
How it affects cravings
Stress and emotional eating are big causes for cravings. With chronic stress, cortisol is released, which can ratchet up both hunger and cravings. Most people don’t get hungrier just for salads, though; studies show that emotional distress increases the intake of foods that are high in fat, sugar, or both. And it works, temporarily — sugary foods can counteract the feelings of stress, making us want them again the next time we’re seeking comfort.
Set yourself up for success
There’s no way for us to entirely get rid of stress, but we can certainly find healthy ways to manage it. Practice some self-care, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time. Instead of reaching for food as a destresser, pivot to something different: a cup of tea, a 3-minute meditation, a funny video, or a quick walk around the block. “Self-care” isn’t just a buzzword, but something you can use to bring yourself comfort in healthier ways than reaching for sugar.
Hormonal changes or imbalances
How they affect cravings
Wanting sweets, including chocolate, around the time of your period is normal and often due to hormone shifts. Women tend to have more cravings when estrogen levels are low and progesterone is high.
Set yourself up for success
WW recommends giving yourself grace during these times to have the foods you’re craving, rather than stress over it (see above — stressing can cause you more issues with cravings), when you’re going through hormonal shifts. Talk to a physician if it really seems to be difficult to manage.
The bottom line
To make cravings feel less intense, you can try science-backed strategies for reducing hunger, stress, and other factors that may lead to cravings. That said, you can totally have what you’re craving from time to time; you just may want to moderate how frequently you say “yes” to your cravings. If you’re able to achieve your health and weight goals even when you grab a handful of chocolate chips after lunch, then no need to give them up. But if you’re experiencing a plateau in your progress and just happen to be going with your ice cream craving every evening, then that frequency may need to be adjusted to help you reach your goals.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be regarded as a substitute for guidance from your healthcare provider.