Learn the mental and physical processes that are making you want to get your hands on a sweet treat or salty snack ASAP.
Maybe you crave a scoop of rich chocolate ice cream every time you sit down to watch your favorite Netflix show. Or, you feel like you need a thick, fruit-filled smoothie after your Tabata class each week.
Even if you feel perfectly fine satisfying these hankerings time and time again, you may be wondering: What exactly triggers these desires in the first place?
“Cravings are a multifactorial phenomenon — it’s physiological, psychological, and biological,” says Laura Kunces, Ph.D., R.D., the vice president of medical strategy at Thorne, an Equinox Circle partner. “Food cravings can also be quite different. I think a lot of people associate cravings with pregnant women or sweets, like desserts, but you can probably have a craving for pretty much any type of food.“
At the most basic level, you may crave a particular food simply due to the comfort it provides, says Kunces. In the middle of January — when you’re constantly cold and glum from the lack of sunlight — a creamy, savory soup that warms you up may be the exact pick-me-up your mind and body need.
But the psychological phenomenon of conditioning may also come into play, says Kunces. Say you often treat yourself to a comforting cookie after an exhausting workday or argument with your partner. Over time, you may start to consciously crave that cookie after experiencing any stress or negative emotion, according to 2020 research published in Physiology & Behavior.
That hankering may be accompanied by conditioned physiological responses such as increased salivation, heart rate, gastric activity, and neural activity in the region of the brain typically associated with rewards, per the Physiology & Behavior research. This increased activity in your brain’s reward region leads to a boost in feelings of pleasure, which can make you want to seek out the triggering food regularly, according to information from the Harvard University School of Public Health. Essentially, “when you feel that [emotion], you're expecting a sweet,” says Kunces. “Your body starts to crave it, and that creates a habit.”
In some cases, food cravings could be sparked by a nutrient inadequacy or deficiency, says Kunces. When your blood glucose is low, you might develop a hankering for a sugary snack, which will give you a quick energy boost, she notes. “Sometimes it could be related to a micronutrient deficiency,” says Kunces. “Electrolytes, magnesium, and chromium can play a role in the way that your body uses energy, and it could make it so that your body senses it's low in energy.”
In that instance, you may find yourself reaching for a carb-rich food, even though it may not fully resolve the issue triggering your craving. It’s important to note, though, there isn’t conclusive evidence supporting the idea that nutrient deficiencies drive food cravings, and they may contribute to a small fraction of cravings, according to 2020 research published in Current Nutrition Reports. Studies also suggest nutritional deficits are not likely to be the cause of food cravings during pregnancy.
Certain lifestyle factors may affect your experience with food cravings, too. “Sleep and stress are probably the two biggest factors of your day-to-day that might influence the strength of a craving,” says Kunces. “Even as little as one night of bad sleep can zap your energy, and your body might start craving sugar to bring up your energy level."
When you’re feeling particularly stressed, you may not feel hungry throughout the day and, as a result, neglect to properly fuel yourself, says Kunces. As your energy stores deplete, your body will signal you to search for a quick source, such as glucose, and you may find yourself reaching for a carb-heavy snack or meal.
What’s more, cravings can be intensified if you’re depriving yourself of a particular food. A 2015 study found that when Japanese individuals were deprived of rice for one or three days, they experienced an increase in rice cravings; however, once they were able to add it back to their diet, the participants did not consume rice more frequently than they usually would.
The bottom line: Food cravings rarely stem from one particular cause. Aside from psychological conditioning and nutrient deficiencies, your lifestyle — how much sleep you’re getting, how stressed you feel, and what foods you’re trying to avoid — could be contributing to your desire for a late-night waffle cone.
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