Hunger vs cravings: how to tell the difference

Most of the time, we eat because our body tells us we’re hungry. But sometimes, we eat only because we feel like it, are bored, or are enticed by external cues, such as the smell of a neighbour's morning bacon sandwich trickling through the window.

That’s what we call cravings, which are often driven by your brain’s reward systems, emotions, and environment. Cravings show up even when you’re full; something many people describe as food noise.¹

Understanding the difference between hunger and cravings can help you make choices that align with your health goals.

What hunger really is

Hunger is a biological survival mechanism. It’s triggered when your stomach is empty and your body needs energy. Two key hormones are involved: ghrelin, which signals hunger, and leptin, which signals fullness.^1,2

Hunger is generally non-specific, meaning that almost any food will do. If you’re genuinely hungry, you’ll be just as satisfied (maybe not as happy) with a hearty salad as with a slice of pizza. Once you eat, the feeling should subside until your body needs energy again.¹

What cravings are

A craving is different. It’s an intense desire for a specific food, which is often high in sugar, salt, or fat. While hunger is about refuelling, cravings are about reward.

This is why you might eat dinner, feel physically full, and still want chocolate or crisps. Cravings often have multiple layers:^1,3

• Physiological: Your body’s reward system releases dopamine when you eat something pleasurable, reinforcing the desire.

• Cognitive: Thinking about the food, imagining how it will taste, and recalling past enjoyment.

• Emotional: Using food to change your mood, relieve stress, or create comfort.

And cravings can happen without hunger at all. In one study on chocolate cravings, the intensity of people’s cravings were unrelated to how long it had been since they last ate. Instead, it was linked to how much they thought about and anticipated eating chocolate.³

Where food noise fits in

Food noise is a modern term for the persistent background chatter in your mind about food. It’s when you’re not just craving something once in a while, but constantly thinking about eating.²

Our recent survey of 2,000 UK adults found that nearly 9 in 10 people have eaten when they weren’t physically hungry, and 43% said they think about food “all the time.” Almost a third (31%) admitted they struggle most with cravings in the evening, making nighttime a prime time for unwanted snacking.

For those living with overweight or obesity, food noise can feel even louder. They were twice as likely as those with a lower BMI to say their thoughts about food felt uncontrollable, and seven in ten said they struggle to resist cravings once they appear.

Why cravings happen

While it’s tempting to think cravings must mean your body needs a certain nutrient, it’s not what the research says.

Studies have found that even during pregnancy, when the body’s nutritional demands are higher, cravings tend to target the same high-calorie foods people normally enjoy, rather than the foods they need for nutrient replenishment.^1,3

Instead, cravings are largely explained by conditioning. If you regularly eat chocolate while watching TV at night, your brain starts linking the two. Over time, the context (sitting down in front of the TV) becomes a cue that triggers a craving, even if you’ve already eaten enough.

This is known as food cue reactivity, and it’s a big part of why cravings can feel so automatic. Internal states (like emotions) and external cues (like smells or adverts) can both act as triggers.

The role of restriction

Interestingly, the way we restrict food can influence cravings in different ways.

Short-term selective food deprivation, where you cut out just one type of food, like chocolate, can actually increase cravings for that food in the first week or two. This is likely down to the “forbidden fruit” effect, which makes you want it more knowing that you can’t have it.³

But longer-term calorie restriction as part of a structured weight loss programme often has the opposite effect. Studies in people with obesity have shown that cravings for many types of foods decrease after several weeks of consistent calorie reduction. This may be because your brain “unlearns” certain associations, breaking the cue–craving link over time.³

How to tell if it’s hunger or a craving

If you’re unsure which you’re experiencing, try this quick self-check:

1. Ask yourself: would I eat something plain? If you’d be happy with scrambled eggs, soup, or a salad, it’s probably hunger. If only biscuits will do, it’s likely a craving.

2. Notice where you feel it. Hunger is usually felt in the stomach (rumbling, emptiness), while cravings are more “in the mind,” focused on anticipation.

3. Consider the timing. Hunger builds gradually; cravings can come on suddenly.

4. Check your emotions. If you’re stressed, bored, or sad, it might be emotional eating disguised as hunger.

The numan take

Hunger is your body’s fuel gauge. Cravings are your brain’s way of seeking pleasure, comfort, or reward, often triggered by learned associations and environmental cues. Neither is “bad” or something to feel guilty about, but knowing the difference can help you respond in ways that work for your health and your goals. If cravings are frequent, intense, or affecting your wellbeing, there are both behavioural and medical strategies that can help you turn the noise down.

References

1. ^{Sayer RD, Peters JC, Pan Z, Wyatt HR, Hill JO. Hunger, food cravings, and diet satisfaction are related to changes in body weight during a 6-month behavioral weight loss intervention: The beef WISE Study. Nutrients. 2018;10(6).}

2. ^{Hayashi D, Edwards C, Emond JA, Gilbert-Diamond D, Butt M, Rigby A, et al. What is food noise? A conceptual model of food cue reactivity. Nutrients. 2023;15(22): 4809.}

3. ^{Meule A. The psychology of food cravings: The role of food deprivation. Current nutrition reports. 2020;9(3): 251–257.}