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We’ve all been there, reaching for a bag of chips after a stressful day or craving sweets when feeling down. Emotional eating is a common response to stress, boredom, or even happiness, but when it becomes a habit, it can lead to overeating and unhealthy food choices. There are ways to recognise emotional eating patterns and develop healthier ways to cope with cravings.

Why do we eat emotionally?
Food provides comfort and eating triggers the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine, which is like your body’s reward or pleasure hormone. However, emotional eating is often not driven by true hunger but by a need for distraction or relief. Recognising your triggers is the first step to managing them.

Strategies to manage emotional eating
1. Pause and identify the emotion
Before eating, ask yourself, “Am I actually hungry, or am I stressed, tired, or bored?” If it’s an emotion driving your craving, try addressing the feeling in a non-food way.

2. Find healthy coping mechanisms
Instead of reaching for food, engage in activities that help relieve stress, such as:

• Exercising, for example home workouts, taking a walk, yoga or stretching
• Journaling your thoughts
• Practicing deep breathing or meditation
• Calling a friend or family member for support

3. Choose balanced meals
Eating regular, nutrient-dense meals can help stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce cravings. Include protein (for example eggs, chicken, fish, beef, beans), fibre (such as vegetables and wholegrains) and/or healthy fats (for example peanut butter, avocado, seeds) to keep you feeling full and satisfied. 

Although beneficial, you do not need to include every food group in a meal. A meal can be simple yet nutrient dense, for example low-GI bread and peanut butter. Play around with different food group combinations that you enjoy to help maintain consistent healthy eating.

4. Don’t restrict, just be mindful
Completely banning certain foods can make cravings stronger. Instead, allow yourself to enjoy indulgences in moderation, for example one small packet of crisps after two weeks. Eat slowly and savour each bite truly to enjoy your food without overindulging. This also helps you avoid overconsumption of indulgences.

5. Keep trigger foods out of sight
If you tend to reach for snacks mindlessly, store them in less accessible places, or buy small packets so they do not stay in the house too long. Keep healthy options like fruit (dried or fresh), peanuts or nuts, or yoghurt readily available. Homemade popcorn is a great savoury snack. An added bonus is that, unlike microwave or pre-popped popcorn bags, they do not have any preservatives, and you are in control of the amount of salt and oil added, helping to make it healthier.

Managing emotional eating takes time, but with awareness and small changes, you can regain control. Listen to your body, nourish it well and find non-food ways to process emotions like calming hobbies (gardening, reading, fishing), aromatherapy (e.g. lemon balm or lavender essential oil in a diffuser), meditating and taking advantage of your Bestmed benefits by seeking professional help from a psychologist when necessary. Food should be enjoyed, not used as an emotional crutch.