Hunger Versus Craving

Hunger V Craving

Whilst both hunger and food cravings are caused by the release of certain chemicals in our body, the chemicals and the process of their release are completely different.

Feelings of hunger are produced by the release of the hormone ghrelin when our blood sugar and insulin level drops, once we eat and these regulate, another hormone, leptin is released to suppress our appetite. Basically it is our body that is triggering the release of the hormones.

Cravings, on the other hand, are triggered more by the mind. They are much more complex and can be triggered through eating certain kinds of food, through sensory memories and through emotions.

Eating - Have you ever known anyone (other than pregnant women) to crave foods such as celery? Cravings through eating, result from eating sugary or fatty foods which release a chemical called opiods into our bloodstream which give feelings of pleasure. The more you eat the more you want.
Sensory memories - this ranges from memories stored deep in the brain from when we were in the womb, to seeing a picture of a chocolate cake or a Macdonald's advert in a magazine. Sensory memories trigger a part of the brain that releases the hormone dopamine, also producing a feel good factor that has been described as similar to that of a drug addiction in that the more you feed this craving the more you need to keep your craving at bay.
Emotions - Studies on mood have found that our emotional state normally has a greater impact on cravings than hunger [source: Hill 2007]. What this means is that there is a direct correlation between our emotions and our cravings. The hormone seratonin, also known as the 'happy hormone' is released in response to balanced emotions, supporting our continued emotional stability. If our mood is low or negative then the release of seratonin is restricted and the higher the chance of us having cravings, especially if our diet too is not particularly healthy.

So you can see from this small excerpt how complex and individual cravings are and how, more often than not, it is cravings that get in the way of people maintaining a diet or healthy eating regime, especially in the early stages.

Working with a Conscious Eating coach will give you the support to explore what is going on for you as a unique individual to empower you to make better choices.

5 tips on Dealing with Cravings

1. The more fat your body has the more cravings you are likely to experience, losing body fat will reduce the cravings.


2. Don't deprive yourself - a little of what you fancy, occasionally, will satisfy the craving.


3. Vary your diet - boredom and anxiety with what you're eating contributes to craving.


4. Less emotional stress and more balance in your life will not only reduce cravings but support you in maintaining a healthier diet.


5. There are many factors to cravings - each are unique to you as an individual, working with a coach to explore yours will empower you to make better choices.