Have you ever wondered why you crave comfort foods? Why do foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, and banana bread sound better than a salad in the dead of winter? First, we’ll talk about why comfort foods trigger you, then, we’ll conquer those cravings with 10 natural strategies.
Why Do You Crave Comfort Foods?
Dopamine Is Triggered
Your brain really does feel better on comfort food. When you eat comfort food that tastes good and feels rewarding, your brain gets a rush of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages between your brain cells. Those messages are all about motivation, reward, and pleasure. It gives us a feel-good sensation and that’s addictive.
Social Connection
The food that produces dopamine often helps us feel socially connected. Food is often an expression of love. Comfort foods help remind us of our relationships and help us feel less lonely especially during times of isolation.
Nostalgic Eating
Comfort food helps remind you of a childhood memory or can even be linked to a person. Think, Grandma’s Ginger Cookies or red velvet cake for a special birthday party celebration. You’re not just eating the food, you’re feeling the love, warmth, and security that associates the food with the event. Sometimes the smell alone can bring you there.
Certainty and Routine
During uncertain times, you can still have control over your food which provides some control over how you feel. The dopamine in your brain is telling you the food is making you feel good. That’s okay now and then, but be aware of when you could replace that with something else that produces the same feeling. Maybe a bubble bath and a good book!
What Comfort Foods Do You Crave?
Comfort Food
Are you craving something you grew up having as a kid? Are you feeling down or insecure and crave the security of the chicken and mashed potatoes, spaghetti, mac n’ cheese, or mom’s lasagne? It could be you need to feel loved, protected, and secure.
Starch
When you’re feeling emotionally tired, stressed, or tapped out, you may feel like bread, pasta or crackers hits the spot. Similar to craving sweets.
Sweets
I feel like blaming my sweet cravings on genetics! But, alas, I could be just addicted to the feel-good chemical called serotonin which is released when you eat something sweet. Sweet cravings could be a need to boost your mood or connect to a feeling of nostalgia. Maybe you got sweets as a reward or for a special occasion like a birthday or family holidays. Those moods are recreated when you eat the food associated with the memory. Oh man, why can’t we get that when we eat a salad?
Salty or Crunchy
I love my popcorn doused with a hefty dose of sea salt! Salty food can be a sign of dehydration. Maybe a big glass of water will do the trick? I know it doesn’t sound as good, but it’s healthier and might just work. Crunchy food could also be a sign of stress and you just want something to bite into and release that stress.
Is Your Craving Physical?
I’ve tried to justify my body’s need for salt too, but let’s face it – cravings are more often rarely physical and more often mental. A strong craving usually happens when you have an emotional need. You might think your comfort food will meet the need but your mind knows better! The best thing you can do is connect with yourself and figure out what you really need. Do you need love, connection, or activity? How about taking a walk, calling a friend, or snuggling with your dog or cat?
How to Stop Cravings Naturally
1. Start the Day with Water
Before you do anything else, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Your body loses anywhere from 1-2 pounds of water while you’re sleeping. The best thing you could do for cravings is hydrate, detoxify and replenish your system.
2. Eat Clean Food
The more you eliminate sugars and toxins in your body, the less your body will crave them. Instead, you’ll crave clean, healthy food that helps you look and feel your best.
3. Develop Healthy Habits
Find some new reward systems. Instead of having chips after work, try taking your dog for walk while you listen to a favorite podcast or book. Or read and get social with books with an App like Goodreads. With Goodreads, you can set an annual book challenge, rate books, and trade book ideas with friends. It’s like “Facebook for your reading”. If you want to really hit it out of the park and learn more about creating good habits, check out this Rich Roll podcast about Atomic Habits with the author, James Clear, or read his book.
4. Get Into Nature
There is nothing to get your mind off a craving like getting into nature. Once you’re out in fresh air and stimulated by the beauty of what’s around you, I bet you’ll forget all about it!
5. Set Goals
You might not have time to think about a food craving if your mind is occupied with a big lofty goal. Your energy is going where you’re focusing. Even better, as you start taking baby steps toward your goal, you’re rewarded with mini-celebrations or a rush of serotonin (that feel-good chemical). Only this serotonin rush will come without the guilt.
6. Have A Plan
Do you know when your cravings usually happen? Are you prone to having a craving at 3 o’clock at work? Do you have a plan in place to make a healthy choice when the craving hits? Maybe you set up a 3 pm “walk date” with a coworker or have some healthy protein and hemp energy balls on hand instead of heading to the vending machine or Starbucks.
7. Develop Your Will Power
Get in the practice of envisioning the outcome. Think about how great you feel after you finish your morning workout. Then apply it to cravings. Think about how great you’ll feel when you go for a walk instead of giving in to a craving.
8. Serve Someone or Some Animal
When you’re focused on a craving which translates to emotion, sometimes the best thing you can do is focus on someone else. Does your older neighbor need their driveway shoveled? Could you invite your parents for dinner or bring some flowers to someone? How about volunteering to walk dogs for a local shelter or do Meals on Wheels once a week?
9. Find a Hobby
Maybe your craving is just boredom? while we’re on COVID lockdown, the days are running one right into another. It’s like Groundhog’s Day. What could you do to make the most of this time? My husband started woodworking, my girlfriend started playing the piano and I finally launched this wellness blog I’ve been meaning to do for a while. Allow yourself some freedom to pursue a passion. Having a great hobby will give you something to do to look forward to and busy your mind.
10. Be Gracious With Yourself
Most importantly, there will be times that you give in. Acknowledge it, have fun with it and reconnect. And sometimes honestly, let that sh_t go! No need to go on and on about it. The more you’re forgiving of yourself, the more you’ll be forgiving with others.
Love & Laughter
