What is emotional eating?
Emotional eating, the act of consuming food in response to feelings rather than physical hunger, is a common behaviour that can lead to various health issues. Emotional eating is less about hunger and more of a way we use food to cope or soothe our emotional highs and lows. Picture this: you’re stressed, and suddenly, a healthy meal feels like the last thing you’d want or even have the energy to prepare. But that chocolate bar? Oh, it’s whispering sweet nothings to you from across the room. According to the British Dietetic Association, emotional hunger often craves specific comfort foods and is unlikely to be satisfied by healthier options (BDA). You know the drill: stress equals chocolate, heartbreak equals ice cream, and overwork equals’ cake. It’s not greed, it’s biology. Emotional cravings create physical and hormonal responses. You don’t just want the chocolate; you need the chocolate! It may seem like greed, but what we need to understand is that these are emotional cravings creating a physical response and something very difficult to ignore.
Our food culture has undergone a seismic shift in the last 50 years. There once was a stigma to eating in the street, snacking between meals, and eating away from a dining table, and we had a different view of food. Food was a family affair, eaten at the table, with conversation (and possibly some squabbling). Fast forward to today’s world, and there are no rules. We can eat 24 hours a day and in abundance. It’s a free-for-all. Hungry at midnight? There’s a drive-thru for that. Fancy a snack at 3 pm? We’re swimming in a sea of snacks, and food is available at the press of a button.
The foundations of emotional eating are formed when we are children. This is learned behaviour. Research from the University of Reading highlights that emotional eating is a learned behaviour that emerges early in life and is influenced by individual characteristics and environmental factors (ScienceDirect). Our emotional eating habits don’t come out of nowhere. They’re built during childhood, with love, alongside fat and sugar! Were you rewarded with a biscuit for tidying your toys or cheered up with ice cream after a scraped knee? Did birthdays mean cake (obviously), and trips to the cinema equal popcorn and fizzy drinks? These experiences hardwire our emotions to food. It’s no wonder that we reach for the iced doughnut when life gets tough. Its irresistible high-fat and sugar combination is like a hug in edible form, with the added dopamine hit – a powerful drug, especially when we are feeling low. For a moment, everything feels better. Until, of course, you’re left with crumbs and regret. You can see why our emotions and behaviour are intrinsically linked to food.
Common triggers of emotional eating
Identifying the triggers that send you diving into the biscuit tin is a crucial first step in tackling emotional eating. These triggers are often sneaky, catching us off guard, but once you know what to look out for, you can start breaking the cycle. Here are some of the most common culprits:
- Stress - the ultimate troublemaker. When life feels overwhelming, food becomes the trusty sidekick. But we’re not talking about munching on carrot sticks here. Stress often sends us straight to sugary, fatty comfort foods that deliver a quick dopamine hit. The National Centre for Eating Disorders highlights stress as one of the biggest drivers of emotional eating, turning the kitchen cupboard into a refuge during tough times (Eating Disorders UK).
- Boredom - Have you ever found yourself wandering to the fridge just because you’re at a loose end? Boredom is a master of disguise, often tricking us into thinking we’re hungry when we’re really just looking for entertainment.
- Mindless eating - That endless scroll on your phone or sitting in front of the TV pairs all too well with a snack you don’t actually need or can even remember consuming. You can start your evening with a packet of biscuits, with the intention of having one or two, but by the end of your Netflix binge, the whole packet has mysteriously disappeared, with only the crumbs left as evidence.
- Negative emotions - sadness, loneliness, anger; meet the emotional eating dream team. Food has a way of softening life’s sharp edges, even if only for a moment. Whether you drown your sorrows in a tub of ice cream or chew through frustration with a bag of crisps, eating becomes a temporary way to self-soothe.
- Social situations - Let’s be honest: social events are food minefields. Birthdays? Cake. Celebrations? Buffet spreads. Even a casual catch-up often involves coffee and something sweet on the side. The pressure to indulge is real; even if you’re not hungry, it’s easy to get swept up in the moment (and the snacks).
- Fatigue - When running on empty, your body craves quick energy, and food becomes the go-to fix. Tiredness often feels like hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking. Unfortunately, the sugary pick-me-ups we grab in these moments only provide a short-term boost before leaving us even more drained.
Interestingly, research has shown that emotional eating is not just about the food itself but also about the context in which we eat. A study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that individuals are more likely to engage in emotional eating when they are alone compared to when they are with others. This suggests that social support can play a significant role in mitigating emotional eating behaviours.
Despite popular belief, Emotional eating isn’t just about willpower or habit—it’s deeply tied to how our bodies and brains respond to stress and reward. The same study highlighted that emotional eaters often have a heightened sensitivity to reward and a lower ability to regulate their emotions. This means that they are more likely to seek out pleasurable experiences, like eating tasty foods when they are feeling down, and they may have a harder time controlling these impulses. When we talk about an inability to regulate emotions, we’re diving into the intricate dance of brain chemistry and hormones, particularly dopamine, adrenaline, and cortisol. When you’re overwhelmed, stressed, or emotionally drained, your ability to regulate emotions naturally weakens. A combination of heightened cortisol, low dopamine, and a body pumped full of stress hormones creates a perfect storm for emotional eating. You’re essentially battling a physiological urge to self-soothe with food—an urge rooted in ancient survival mechanisms.
Dopamine: the feel-good factor
Let’s start with dopamine, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical. It’s part of our reward system, firing off when we do something enjoyable—like eating a delicious doughnut. When life gets overwhelming, we crave a dopamine boost to counteract the emotional discomfort. Food, especially that perfect blend of sugar and fat, acts as a quick fix. Unfortunately, the relief is temporary, and this creates a cycle: stress, emotional eating, a dopamine hit, and then the inevitable crash, which makes us want more. It’s not unlike the way our brains react to other pleasurable or addictive activities or recreational drugs.
The role of adrenaline and norepinephrine
During stress, your body releases adrenaline and norepinephrine as part of the fight-or-flight response. These hormones heighten alertness and prepare your body to react. But here’s the catch: in chronic stress, the prolonged activation of these stress hormones leaves you feeling drained, emotionally fragile, and more likely to turn to comfort foods. While your body is trying to help you survive, it inadvertently primes you to seek quick-energy foods—often sugary or fatty—because they were evolutionarily beneficial in times of stress.
Cortisol dysregulation: the stress hormone that keeps on giving
Then we have cortisol, the stress hormone that keeps us wired. In acute stress, cortisol is essential—it gives us energy, raises blood sugar levels, and keeps us alert. However, when stress becomes chronic, cortisol levels can spiral out of balance, leading to cravings for high-calorie foods. Why? Because cortisol makes your body think it’s in survival mode. And what does your body want when it feels the world is ending? Energy-dense foods to fuel you for the apocalypse. (Or, in today’s terms, the next meeting or school run.)
Interestingly, research shows that chronic cortisol dysregulation doesn’t just increase cravings—it also alters fat distribution, encouraging the storage of visceral fat around the belly. This means emotional eating during stress isn’t just about the calories; it’s about how your body processes and stores those calories, too.
The female factor
At the start of this article, we mentioned that women often confess to emotional eating more readily than men, but there’s a good reason for this. The female body is a symphony of hormones. When these go out of tune—due to stress, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause—it can significantly impact cravings, mood, and emotional regulation.
The menstrual cycle and emotional eating
Let’s start with the menstrual cycle, the monthly rollercoaster ride most women know all too well. Progesterone and oestrogen levels fluctuate during the luteal phase (the week or so before your period). This hormonal shift can lead to:
- Lower serotonin levels: Serotonin, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, dips, leaving women feeling irritable or low. This is when emotional eating—often of carb-rich or sugary foods—kicks in because these foods temporarily boost serotonin levels.
- Increased cravings for high-calorie foods: Studies have shown that women consume more calories during the luteal phase, especially comfort foods. This isn’t a lack of willpower; it’s biology trying to compensate for fluctuating hormones.
Stress, cortisol, and emotional eating in women
Stress affects everyone, but women often experience a stronger cortisol response, making them more likely to turn to food for comfort. Chronic stress not only leads to cortisol dysregulation but also amplifies cravings for high-sugar and high-fat foods. Why? Because cortisol makes the brain think you’re in survival mode, triggering a natural urge to stock up on quick energy sources.
Interestingly, research suggests that women may have a heightened sensitivity to cortisol compared to men. This could explain why stressful situations often result in reaching for the biscuit tin rather than tackling the problem head-on.
Hormonal changes across life stages
Women also experience significant hormonal shifts at various life stages, each bringing its own emotional eating challenges:
- Pregnancy: Fluctuating hormones, combined with the physical and emotional demands of growing a human, can lead to cravings and emotional eating.
- Perimenopause and Menopause: Declining oestrogen levels during menopause can cause mood swings, sleep disturbances, and increased cortisol, all of which encourage emotional eating. Reduced serotonin levels during this time may also drive cravings for carbohydrates.
How hormones interact with dopamine and emotional eating
Let’s not forget dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical. Women’s hormonal fluctuations can influence dopamine production, making high-sugar or high-fat foods feel like a quick fix for a bad day. Unfortunately, the dopamine hit is short-lived, and the cycle begins anew.
Emotional eating and the impact on our health
The impact of emotional eating goes far beyond the momentary comfort of a snack after a tough day; it reaches into every corner of our physical, mental, and even social well-being. That tub of ice cream might feel like a warm hug when stressed, but the long-term consequences can be anything but sweet. For many, emotional eating becomes a way of life, especially when we’re grappling with stress, mental health challenges, or hormone imbalances.
The obvious consequence? Weight gain and obesity. But there’s more. Emotional eating significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and gut problems. It’s not just about the quantity of food we eat but the quality. Let’s face it: comfort food is rarely a leafy green salad. It’s usually ultra-processed, loaded with sugar, fat, and empty calories, offering little to no nutritional value. Over time, this can leave us woefully deficient in key nutrients like vitamin B12, magnesium, and omega-3s, which are crucial for mental health, hormone balance, and reducing inflammation. Cue the catch-22: the very foods we’re eating to feel better are often making us feel worse.
And it’s not just about the physical effects. Emotional eating often comes with a side of guilt and shame, creating a toxic cycle of eating to feel better, feeling worse because of what we’ve eaten, and then eating again to cope with these ongoing emotions. This disordered pattern can seep into every aspect of life, straining relationships, sapping productivity at work, and making social situations fraught with anxiety. The result? A loop that feels impossible to escape. But recognising this cycle is the first step toward breaking free and reclaiming a healthier, more balanced relationship with food—and yourself.
Breaking the cycle
Understanding these biochemical drivers helps us see emotional eating not as a failure of willpower but as a biologically driven response to stress. To manage it, we must focus on reducing stress and supporting our body’s natural balance.
- Stress management: Deep breathing, yoga, and mindfulness can help lower cortisol levels.
- Supporting dopamine: Physical activity, social connections, and even small acts of kindness can give you that feel-good boost without the need for a sugar hit.
- Regulating blood sugar: Eating balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs can stabilise your energy and mood, making it easier to resist those cravings.
- Support hormonal health: Consuming omega-3s, magnesium, and b vitamins, such as b12 and B6, can help regulate mood and hormonal fluctuations.
- Move your body: Even in small amounts, exercise boosts serotonin and helps counteract the effects of stress.
- Focus on balanced nutrition: Regular meals with whole, nutrient-dense foods can reduce cravings and stabilise mood.
- Develop healthy coping mechanisms: Replace food with stress-relieving activities like journaling, exercise, or talking to a friend.
- Seek support: Working with a nutritionist, therapist, or support group can provide guidance and accountability.
- Practice mindful eating: Pay attention to hunger cues and eat without distractions to help reconnect with physical hunger rather than emotional cravings.
- Trick the mind: As a nutritionist and recipe developer, I create recipes to satisfy our emotional cravings without high sugar and unhealthy fat. We can create low-sugar, low-carb cakes, biscuits, and chocolate, which are often fantastic tools whilst embarking on our journey to change behaviours and deal with sudden emotional crises more positively.
Next time stress has you reaching for the biscuit tin, remember this isn’t just about hunger. It’s about your brain and body working overtime, and while they mean well, you can take charge by nourishing them in healthier ways.
Understanding these psychological factors is crucial in developing effective strategies to manage emotional eating. By building emotional awareness and developing healthier coping mechanisms, individuals can break the cycle of using food as a primary means of dealing with emotions.
By Sarah Flower, Nutritionist.
