Food Craving

A food craving is the name given when a person has a specific urge to eat a certain type of food in contrast to simply being hungry. While the phenomenon of food cravings is not completely understood, many medical experts believe that the sudden desire is a result of lowered levels of serotonin in the brain. When the person eats the desired food, the brain releases endorphins that give the person a feeling of satisfaction, in the same manner that a person with an addiction feels after fulfilling their need. Because of the human body’s natural response to release endorphins whenever a glucose product is eaten, the majority of food cravings are based in those items that contain sugar.

An alternative explanation for food cravings is a problem called taste addiction disorder. In this psychological issue, a patient’s brain and body become accustomed to being fed sugar based items and will only release dopamine and endorphins when these food items are eaten. It is this same process that constitutes an addiction to alcohol and sex or with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. To counter the problems of a food craving, a person will need to identify what triggers the feelings and methods of coping with the urges.

Once a person has been able to isolate which situations cause the food cravings, the best defense is to simply avoid these scenarios. For many people, stress is the main cause of the urges and it can be difficult to avoid the stress, especially if it is within the workplace or home. In these situations, another option is to use healthy foods that are not based in glucose. This will help reduce the desire to eat and the lack of glucose will train the body to stop releasing endorphins only when sugary foods are eaten.