Vice – Why Food Tastes Better When You’re Hating Life

Turns out there is a lot of science and psychology behind comfort food cravings, stress eating, and why we reach for certain foods. It’s not surprising that our control over food diminishes when life gets hard.

I was very pleased to join Brian Wansink and other noted experts to help understand what’s behind food cravings and what we can do to work with them.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Psychologists believe there may be learned behaviors fueling these cravings, too. “Not all people eat under stress, but for those who do, the action appears to be rooted in a long-standing association between eating and feeling soothed,” says Alicia H. Clark, a clinical psychologist in Washington DC. “Food can be a familiar place to turn in order to numb emotional experiences, while also facilitating a sense of satiety and fullness that feels calming.”

Of course, not all foods are created equal—it’s unlikely you’ll reach for a carrot stick when you’re frazzled. Preliminary research in mice from the Monell Center suggests that stress might make our sweet receptors all the more excitable. That creates a vicious circle, Clark says, especially since high-sugar foods are also linked to increased anxiety and inhibited concentration, which can in turn cause more stress.