If stress had a flavor, it’d be double chocolate fudge. Let’s find out why your brain craves cupcakes during chaos.
Stress triggers a hormonal storm in your body, releasing cortisol—the “stay alert” hormone—which also happens to increase your appetite, especially for sugary, fatty foods. That’s why the vending machine becomes your best friend during deadlines or family drama. But feeding stress with sugar creates a short-lived high followed by a deeper crash, both emotionally and physically.
Strategy
Instead of reaching for cookies, build a “calm kit”: a small basket with herbal tea, almonds, a fidget item, and a calming playlist. When stress hits, pause and use the kit before making a food decision. This gives your emotional brain time to settle so your logical brain can pick a snack that fuels rather than fools you.
Focus Keyphrase: stress and sugar cravings
Slug: stress-sugar-cravings
Meta Description: Understand the link between stress and sugar cravings and learn a calming strategy to overcome emotional snacking.
Tags: stress eating, sugar cravings, emotional eating, healthy snacks, cortisol and appetite