Do you find yourself craving sweets more when you're under stress or experiencing challenging emotions? Know that you're not alone.
Many of us instinctively reach for sweet treats when we experience difficult emotions. In fact, from a young age, food may always have been our go-to coping mechanism because nobody taught us more helpful ways to deal with anger, anxiety, guilt or intense sadness and emotional pain.
Cravings in general are a signal from our body that something is out of balance. And I can’t think of a more unbalancing experience than grieving.
Then there’s the interesting fact that we are biologically programmed to crave sweetness. For our ancestors, sweet taste signalled nutrient-dense, readily available energy for survival. Sweet meant nourishing carbs, protein and fats including fruit and honey.
This craving served us well evolutionarily when securing enough calories was tough. But today’s limitless artificially sweetened processed foods jeopardise our health, especially when we are grieving. It’s too easy to grab sugar-laden convenience foods rather than truly nourishing choices like wholegrains, vegetables, meat and raw honey.
Cravings can also spotlight a specific missing nutrient. For example, low magnesium levels can make us crave chocolate which is a good source of magnesium (but only dark chocolate!). By the way, stress depletes magnesium.
Sweet cravings are always a sign that we are malnourished on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.
Grief can also cause blood sugar fluctuations, another reason for sweet cravings. Emotional stress and refined carb overload can send us on a constant rollercoaster of sugar spikes and energy crashes. Does this sound familiar? More quick sugary foods will only perpetuate the cycle.
Imbalances in our gut bacteria drive cravings, too, particularly for sugar. Chronic stress literally decimates our beneficial gut bacteria, allowing harmful sugar-loving bugs to thrive. Our gut microbes – good or bad - constantly talk to our brain and vice versa. And you’ll find that the bad guys can manipulate your eating behaviour by making you feel miserable when you abruptly stop their sugar supply.
And to make matters worse, our neurotransmitters also take a severe hit when our good guys no longer keep the balance in our gut. Low serotonin increases appetite and cravings for starchy carbs and sugary foods in an attempt to boost mood. Whereas dopamine dips reduce motivation, driving cravings for feel-good junk foods among others.
Beyond biological stress, grief also creates emotional needs around comfort and distraction. Sugary and highly processed foods provide temporary relief but leave us worse off in the long term.
And just when we feel we can’t take anymore, it’s that time of the year again when holiday pressures and overabundant holiday treats pile on additional layers of challenge and emotional turbulence for everyone who has lost a loved one.
The expectation to be cheerful glaringly contrasts with our inner pain and distress, making us turn to food to escape or numb our emotional anguish. The problem: relief from a sugar binge doesn’t last long and is often followed by regret, guilt and shame. This can drive some to eat even more food to cope with these additional ‘negative’ emotions. Before we know it, we are trapped in another vicious cycle with no means of escape unless …
….we begin to understand that our cravings speak a biological and emotional language that we must try to decode.
If you are interested in finding out what emotions are hiding behind your sweet cravings and how to develop healthier coping strategies to stop overindulging on holiday treats, I have something special for you - my new course on emotional hunger!
This comprehensive toolkit will empower you to navigate holiday temptations and emotional triggers confidently, all while indulging in deliciously healthy holiday treats. Check it out here. Available until 24th of December, 2023.
Gain peace of mind this holiday season by having a plan and effective coping strategies at your fingertips.