The Reasons Why We Crave Unhealthy Food And What We Can Do To Avoid Them

Foods high in fat, sugar, and salt are simply too enjoyable to eat. And it’s not just you: we have evolved that way. These foods activate the brain’s reward system because they were scarce in the past.

Now, they are everywhere. In modern affluent societies, we are bombarded with advertising that intentionally reminds us of the appearance, smell, and taste of high-calorie foods. In response to these powerful cues, our brains respond just as they are designed to do, triggering an intense desire to eat them.

Here’s how food cravings work and what you can do if you find yourself reaching for sweet or salty foods.

What causes cravings?

A food craving is an intense desire or impulse to eat something, often centered on a particular food.

We are programmed to learn how good food tastes and smells and where we can find it again, especially if it is high in fat, sugar, or salt.

Something that reminds us that we enjoy a certain food, such as a striking advertisement or a delicious smell, can make us crave it.

The signal triggers a physical response, which increases saliva production and gastric activity. These responses are relatively automatic and difficult to control.

What else influences our choices?

While the effect of cues on our physical response is relatively automatic, what we do next is influenced by complex factors.

Whether or not we eat the food may depend on factors such as cost, whether it is readily available, and whether eating it aligns with our health goals.

But it’s often hard to keep healthy eating in mind. That’s because we tend to prioritize more immediate rewards, like the pleasure of eating, over delayed or abstract ones, including health goals that will make us feel good in the long run.

Stress can also cause us to eat more. When we are hungry, we choose larger portions, underestimate calories, and find eating more rewarding.

Sweet or salty?

So what if a cue prompts us to seek out a certain food, but it’s not available?

Previous research has suggested that we would then reach for anything that makes us feel good. So if you see someone eating a doughnut but there isn’t one on hand, you might snack on chips or even drink alcohol.

But our new research confirmed something you probably already knew: it’s more specific than that.

If an ad for potato chips has you reaching for food, chances are a slice of cake won’t be enough: you’ll reach for something salty.

Cues from our environment not only make us crave food in general, but they also prompt us to seek out certain “categories” of food, such as salty, sweet, or creamy.

History and genetics

Your eating history and genetics can also make it difficult to suppress food cravings. But don’t beat yourself up — relying on willpower alone is difficult for almost everyone.

Food cues are so powerful that they can prompt us to seek out a particular food even if we don’t have a particularly strong urge to eat it. The effect is stronger if the food is readily available.

This helps explain why we may eat a large bag of chips in front of us, even though the pleasure diminishes as we eat. Sometimes we use finishing the packet as a cue to stop eating, rather than because of hunger or desire.

Is there anything we can do to resist cravings?

To a large extent, we have no control over the cues in our environment and the cravings they trigger. But there are some ways you can try to control the situations in which you make food choices.

• Recognize your craving and think of a healthier way to satisfy it. For example, if you’re craving potato chips, could you have lightly salted nuts instead? If you’re craving something sweet, you might try fruit.
• Avoid shopping when you’re hungry and make a list beforehand. Making the most of grocery store “pick-up and pick-up” or delivery options can also help you avoid ads and impulse purchases.
• At home, keep fruits and vegetables readily available and easy to see. Also keep other nutrient-dense, high-fiber, unprocessed foods on hand, such as nuts or plain yogurt. If you can, remove foods high in fat, sugar, and salt from your environment.
• Make sure your nutrition goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat something that doesn’t meet your health goals. Just keep trying.