At some point or another, many of us have turned to food for reasons other than hunger. We might eat because we’re bored, sad or stressed. Or we might turn to food when we’re celebrating. Maybe you’ve heard of emotional eating or giving in to “comfort foods.” While eating this way from time to time won’t necessarily have negative long-term effects, using food as your primary way of dealing with emotions isn’t healthy.

Emotional eating

Emotional eating means – you guessed it – eating food as a way to feel better when you’re upset. Unfortunately, emotional eating won’t solve the problem that’s bothering you. On the contrary, it can create problems with your relationship with food. This can harm your physical health and your ability to form healthy coping mechanisms for stress.

Some people grow up seeking comfort from food, rather than talking about their feelings. Maybe they saw their parents doing this, or the habit developed over time. Unless we become aware of our patterns and what triggers us to turn to emotional eating, we may continue this pattern into adulthood. And further still, parents and caregivers could model that for their children, repeating the cycle.

In contrast, good nutrition not only helps us feel our physical best, it’s also important to our mental health. Feeding our brains with a balanced diet may help us boost energy, support immunity, think more clearly, and help manage our stress and moods. It’s possible to curb emotional eating and make healthier food choices to promote good overall health.

How can you tell when you’re eating emotionally?

To help you identify emotional hunger from true hunger, learn to listen to your body and recognize physical hunger. Signs of physical hunger can include hunger pangs in your stomach, decreased energy, feeling irritable or headache. If a food looks good or smells good, but you don’t have physical signs of hunger, then you may not actually be hungry.

Emotional hunger can be difficult to separate from normal, healthy hunger. But the following signs of emotional eating can help you tell the difference.

You crave specific foods. Natural hunger is typically satisfied by any food, including healthy choices. Emotional hunger may cause you to seek certain types of foods. These are usually foods that are high in sugar or fat and are highly processed, such as chips, cookies and ice cream.
You keep eating after you’re full. Emotional hunger doesn’t know if you last ate four minutes or four hours ago. When eating emotionally, you may tend to keep eating after you’re full. The good news is that you can train yourself to push your plate away when you begin to sense a feeling of fullness.
Your hunger is sudden. Natural hunger typically comes on gradually. Emotional eating may be sudden and can become all you can think about.
Feelings of guilt. If you feel guilty after you eat something, it could be a sign of emotional eating. You may feel especially guilty after you’ve eaten junk food or large amounts of food.

Handling cravings

When cravings hit, the following techniques can help you be more mindful and stay in control of your eating.

Wait five minutes before eating. Don’t forbid yourself from eating the food you crave, but do something else for at least five minutes first and then see if you’re still hungry. Even if you do eat the food, you’ll have a better understanding of why you’re eating. You might even find that the craving goes away.
Ask yourself if you’re hungry or thirsty. We often eat when we’re actually thirsty. Try to decide if you’re hungry or if you’re thirsty.
Substitute healthier. When you crave unhealthy food, consider substituting it for a healthier option. For example, if you want something sweet, try a baked apple with cinnamon.
Allow yourself small amounts. Buy plenty of healthy foods, but also allow yourself to get small amounts of the foods you sometimes crave. For example, if you often want chocolate, you can buy a dark chocolate bar and break it into smaller portions. By allowing yourself to have it, but in smart portions, you’re satisfying the desire for it in a healthier way. This strategy can also lessen the intensity of future cravings because when the item is in reach, you don’t long for it.
Eat regular meals and snacks. When you aren’t ravenously hungry, focus on what you’re eating and enjoy it more. Eat slowly so you feel full and can recognize when to stop eating. Involve your senses – notice the smells, textures and seasonings of the food. This can help signal to your brain that you’re satisfied.
Measure out portions. When you enjoy your food, measure out a small portion and put the bag or container away. Try placing those foods on the top shelf so it’s an effort to get to them.
Get support. Surround yourself with others who are trying to eat healthier, whether it’s friends, family or a support group focused on healthy eating habits.

By paying attention to your emotional and physical cues, you can take charge of your eating habits for a healthier you. You’ve got this!

Sources:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. June 23, 2023. How to handle food cravings.

Helpguide.org. November 28, 2023. Emotional eating and how to stop it.

Nemours Teens Health. November 28, 2023. Emotional eating.

Mental Health America. Accessed January 30, 2024. How healthy eating helps.

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