Psychological Factors Causing Food Cravings
We all have cravings for certain foods from time to time, and these cravings can be so strong that it seems almost involuntary, as if your body is lacking some of the nutrients it can get from Cinnabon. However, this is usually not how traction works.
As SciShow explains, cravings are far more psychological than physiological. Host Michael Aranda says they are usually associated with different emotional triggers, such as stress. He explains:
Eating a buttery cupcake or a bag of salted fries will set off an opioid hurricane that will light up your brain’s pleasure center and make us feel amazing … cravings are also linked to your brain’s memory center, which explains why you also you may be craving food that is not full of fat or sugar. Your brain may associate this meal with a happy memory or reward, and ruminating on the memories associated with that meal can make you crave that meal.
Marci Pelchat of the Monell Chemical Senses Center told Smithsonian magazine , that in fact there are some extreme disadvantages that cause cravings, but as a rule, do not pull our body’s way of telling us that you need that – something. Watch the full video for more details.
What causes food cravings? | Youtube