Weight & Fitness

Curbing Food Cravings

12 Jan 2023

With the array of delicious food options readily available, it is hard for one to exercise restraint and not overindulge. Treating yourself from time to time in healthy portions is perfectly fine, but ignoring the allure of satisfying nosh is not simply a matter of willpower. Why is it so difficult for many?

Understanding why we get food cravings is key.

Our actions are controlled by brain signals. This is why people react positively to the sight of rewarding foods. Our brain contains neurons, which communicate with one another to create feelings, store information and control behaviour. Upon sight or smell of delicious food, sensory neurons react by firing electrical signals and releasing brain chemicals that then travel to interconnected neurons, which are programmed to react positively to the food.

Endorphins are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in people when they exercise, experience pain, have sex or eat certain types of food. Endorphins block pain and release feelings of wellbeing. Therefore, stimulating endorphins with food will drive us to eat. This is how the pleasure of reward is felt, and is usually set off by food groups high in sugar, fat or salt, and sometimes food textures.

For the class of people who tend to get hungry more easily because they digest their food quickly, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers that they may also exhibit symptoms such as thirst, bad breath  and constipation. TCM also has a theory that too much of seven emotions (happiness, anger, worry, sadness, fear, alarm, longing) could cause the organs to react adversely. Hence, you would tend to overeat when you are stressed, faced with relationship problems, or in a foul mood, alerts Yang Zeng Jie, a registered TCM physician practising at Eu Yan Sang TCM clinics. How does TCM help these people curb their appetite? “We have to find out about the person’s medical history,” Physician Yang explains. “Medicine or acupuncture is applied to correct imbalance in the body; in this way, appetite can be curbed and the attitude towards food can also be changed.”

Keeping temptation at bay is a challenge because, in today’s society, food is big business. Chefs are increasingly creative when it comes to the taste, presentation and even form of the food—molecular gastronomy stimulates endorphins not only through smell and taste but also through excitement of its inventiveness as well! In other words, good food engages and pleasures all the senses, not just the sense of taste.

It works like an addiction: once the reward-seeking dopamine in the brain is activated and recognised, it pushes us to pursue the object of desire. If the stimulus is powerful enough, or administered intermittently enough, the brain may not be able to curb its dopamine response, setting off a yearning for food that cries out to be satisfied.

Some quick tips to curb food cravings include:

  1. Eating frequent and small meals – it keeps you feeling full without packing on the carbs
  2. Snack healthily – It is perfectly okay to give in to a healthy snack option if it helps to prevent additional cravings and overindulging when you cave into your temptations. Choose snacks that are high in protein and lower in sugar 
  3. Drink plenty of water – it keeps you hydrated and prevents your brain from mistaking thirst for hunger
  4. Avoid having trigger foods in the house – clear out the junk food and replace them with healthy snacks or fruits! That way, you’ll only have easy access to healthier options when your craving kicks in 

 


Other articles that might help with digestion / Curb cravings:
Hawthorn berry – herb to help with digestion (https://www.allthingshealth.com/en-us/natural-products/healing-foods/hawthorn-berry/
Understanding Common Digestive Problems and Simple Ways to Manage Them (https://www.allthingshealth.com/en-us/general-health/digestive-health/relieving-digestive-problems/
How To Lose Weight And Improve Your Health Using Mindful Eating (https://www.allthingshealth.com/en-us/weight-and-fitness/weight-management/how-to-lose-weight/