It hasn't been long since you last ate. And yet, suddenly, a very specific feeling creeps in – the urge to snack. Your body is craving energy – and this perceived deficit is best compensated for with particularly calorie-rich foods and dishes. Many people are familiar with these cravings. However, they are not always caused by actual hunger. Often, it has to do with bad habits that can be traced back to stress. And there are other reasons that can trigger these sudden cravings for chocolate, crisps and more.
In this blog post, we reveal how you can distinguish between hunger and cravings, what causes these cravings and what role stress plays in them. We also show you how you can stop cravings for sweet and savoury foods – with simple home remedies, natural fillers and other effective tips.
Firstly, it is important to learn to distinguish between ‘real’ hunger and cravings. While ‘real’ hunger is usually accompanied by a rumbling or slight pain in the stomach, these symptoms do not occur with cravings. Instead, you have a strong urge to eat something very specific, such as particularly salty, fatty snacks or sweets.
One thing in particular can have a major impact on our feelings of hunger and cravings for unhealthy foods: stress. Researchers have found that hectic and stressful periods can affect our eating habits: around two thirds of people eat more than normal during stressful times.
The reason for this is that in stressful situations, the body mobilises its energy reserves in order to be able to react. It then converts the glucose supplied to it more quickly into energy and craves more – there is no natural appetite suppression. High-calorie foods with a lot of fat and carbohydrates in particular trigger a reward effect in your brain, which can make you want more of them.
Hormones are among the most important protagonists in this interaction:
Magnesium plays an important role in this context. This mineral supports insulin function and helps maintain blood sugar levels. A long-term magnesium deficiency can disrupt your sugar metabolism, which can manifest itself in greater fluctuations in energy levels and increased cravings for sweet or fatty foods. On the flip side, make sure you're getting enough magnesium to support your metabolism and prevent cravings.
Other causes of cravings can include:
Hunger and fatigue can be closely related:
There are ways to stop cravings for sweet and savoury foods – with simple home remedies, natural appetite suppressants and other helpful tips.
The best way to avoid cravings is to eat at regular intervals. Ideally, you should prepare three meals a day, four to five hours apart. Also, make sure you eat until you are really full.
Make sure your meals contain a balanced ratio of macronutrients. Around half of your daily energy intake should come from complex carbohydrates, around a quarter from high-quality proteins – as these ensure you feel full for longer – and the rest from healthy fats. Proteins play a particularly important role here, as they ensure you feel full for longer. At least half of your meal should also consist of vegetables and low-sugar fruit.
If you want to curb your cravings even more, add Bitter substances to your diet. These inhibit the hunger hormone ghrelin, which means you won't get cravings. Bitter substances are found in foods such as: Olives, grapefruit, chicory, ginger, legumes, cabbage, Swiss chard, rosemary, nettle, green tea. The activation of bitter substance receptors by bitter substances signals satiety to your body and thus acts as an appetite suppressant – allowing you to outsmart your body and curb your cravings.
Mindfulness is another effective way to curb your sweet tooth. Avoid quick lunches on the go, in front of your laptop or while walking, and instead take enough time for every meal. Chewing thoroughly is essential – it aids digestion and makes you feel fuller.
Since stress and hunger are closely related, you should try to eliminate hectic situations from your life as much as possible. Take breaks, use relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, incorporate sufficient exercise into your daily routine and meet up regularly with your loved ones. Dietary supplements can also help you find your inner balance – for example, ashwagandha.
Good sleep is essential if you want to control your cravings. Therefore, stick to regular bedtimes and wake-up times, make sure you get enough sleep and have a quiet environment. Bedtime rituals can also be helpful.
Sport and exercise are other important tips if you want to avoid cravings. On the one hand, exercise reduces stress and releases happiness hormones. On the other hand, sport is an excellent way to distract yourself from cravings for unhealthy food and you don't have time to stuff yourself during your workout.
Your brain sometimes confuses thirst with hunger. It is therefore essential that you drink enough water. What's more, once you've had a drink, you have something in your stomach, which signals to your brain that there is no acute deficit at that moment. Water is therefore one of the best home remedies for stopping cravings. On average, your body needs 1.5 to 2 litres per day.
Cravings are often linked to certain habits. You make yourself comfortable in front of the TV and your hand reaches for the crisps bag as if by itself. Your working day is over and your brain automatically craves a sweet reward. The first step is to become aware of these situations. The second step is to take countermeasures. For example, put a bowl of olives out as a snack before you sit down to watch TV, and treat yourself to a walk in the fresh air after work instead of dessert.
Nature offers a number of foods and active ingredients that will fill you up in a healthy and sustainable way. These include the following foods, which are high in valuable fibre and protein:
You can support your body with various dietary supplements. For example, beneficial gut bacteria can improve feelings of fullness and thus prevent cravings.
Cravings are a complex phenomenon that affect many people. But the good news is that with simple home remedies, stress reduction, the right diet, a healthy lifestyle, enough sleep and changing a few habits, they can be successfully eliminated from your life.
The most common causes of cravings include: stress, boredom and frustration, lack of sleep, poor eating habits (e.g. irregular meals), metabolic problems, pregnancy and breastfeeding, growth phases (in children and adolescents). Magnesium deficiency can also contribute indirectly.
Tiredness and cravings can be closely related. In this case, it is advisable to focus on good sleep hygiene and a balanced diet. Make sure you go to bed and get up at regular times and include natural fillers in your diet.
These include berries, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, fish, chicken and turkey. In addition, drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day. Avoid foods that can make you tired, such as white flour products, fatty foods, fried foods and processed meat.
There are a number of deficiencies that can indirectly contribute to the development of cravings. These include: magnesium deficiency, iron deficiency, chromium deficiency, a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids, and lack of sleep.
The reason why some people feel very hungry before their period is because of hormones. During this phase, progesterone levels rise sharply while oestrogen levels fall. Oestrogen suppresses appetite, while progesterone stimulates it. However, the urge to stuff yourself usually disappears when your period starts.
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