We’ve all been there: a stressful day ends, and suddenly only mac and cheese, ice cream, or a massive bowl of chips will do. You tell yourself it’s “just comfort food” but why does stress always seem to push us towards carbs, sugar, and fat? And do they actually make us feel better, or do they leave us stuck in a loop of highs and crashes?

The truth: comfort food cravings aren’t about willpower, they’re about brain chemistry and stress. Once you understand what’s really going on, you can hack those cravings in a way that actually supports your mental health and improves your mood. No food guilt. No lettuce-only salads. Just smarter swaps and stress relief that work.

Cheat Sheet (for skim readers)

• Why cravings happen: Stress spikes cortisol → your body craves quick energy (sugar, carbs, junk food)
• Short-term relief, long-term crash: Comfort foods hit dopamine fast but worsen stress, mood, and physical health over time
• Better swaps: Whole grains, high-fibre carbs, protein-rich snacks, and mood-supporting supplements can improve your energy and wellbeing
• Tools beyond food: Deep breathing, good night’s sleep, mindfulness meditation, physical activity, and self care rituals lower stress levels naturally
• Big picture: Cravings are signals, not failures. With the right hacks, you can feel calmer, happier, and more in control

For a deeper dive, keep reading...

Why Do We Crave Comfort Foods When Stressed?

Stress affects both mental health and physical health. When cortisol, your main stress hormone, rises, your brain looks for quick relief. Fast energy from sugar or refined carbs becomes the go-to solution because it feels like survival. Your body wants a hit it can use in a few minutes, not a long-term solution.

That’s why stressful moments make you crave junk food, not broccoli. Your brain links these foods to reward and comfort, so the craving is as much emotional as it is physical.

Studies show that cortisol doesn’t just make you feel wired, it also increases appetite for high-fat, high-sugar foods. That’s why stress so often equals snack cravings (Harvard Health).

But the catch? What relieves stress short term can worsen stress long term. Over time, those eating habits can lower self esteem, affect mood regulation, and disrupt overall health.

The Brain Chemistry Behind Comfort Eating

Comfort food cravings aren’t random, they’re chemical. Here’s what’s happening:

• Dopamine release: Sugary or carb-heavy foods trigger the brain’s reward system, giving you a quick “feel good” hit
• Serotonin boost: Carbohydrates help increase serotonin, the hormone linked to calm and mood regulation
• Cortisol and blood sugar: Chronic stress raises cortisol, which raises blood sugar. That spike-crash cycle can worsen stress, affect your heart rate, and leave you feeling worse than before

Research has shown that carbohydrate-rich foods temporarily boost serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to calm and wellbeing, which explains why pasta or chocolate can feel like an instant mood fix (NCBI).

Why Does My Body Crave Comfort?

Your body isn’t weak, it’s looking for safety. Comfort foods provide quick energy, which feels protective when stress makes life feel overwhelming.

What Does It Mean When You Crave Carbs?

Carb cravings are often about serotonin. Carbs temporarily increase serotonin, so you feel calmer. But refined carbs burn fast, which is why you soon feel anxious, tired, or in a low mood again.

Why Do I Crave Junk Food When Stressed?

Junk food is engineered to be hyper-palatable. The combo of salt, sugar, and fat lights up your brain’s reward system. In moments of high stress or anxiety, that quick comfort feels irresistible.

What Stress Eating Really Means for Your Health

A little comfort food isn’t the enemy. But if stress eating becomes the main way you cope, it can create unhealthy habits that affect your mental health, physical health, and overall wellbeing.

• Energy crashes that leave you more tired, anxious, and overwhelmed
• Physical symptoms like poor sleep, muscle tension, and digestive upset
• Mood dips — that post-comfort food “why did I do that?” feeling that lowers self esteem
• Chronic stress loop — the more you rely on sugar, the more it disrupts your body’s stress regulation

Over time, repeated sugar spikes and crashes can impair insulin sensitivity, disrupt sleep, and even increase blood pressure, all of which feed back into higher stress levels (CDC, NIH).

The takeaway? Comfort eating is a signal, not a failure. It’s your body asking for relief. The key is giving it relief that actually works.

Healthy Comfort Food Swaps That Actually Improve Your Mood

Here’s the good news: you can keep the comfort but change the outcome. The best swaps satisfy cravings, but support mood, energy levels, and overall health instead of leaving you in a slump.

Whole grains and fibre-rich foods release glucose more slowly into the bloodstream, helping to stabilise mood and energy instead of fuelling the crash-crave cycle (Harvard School of Public Health).

Smarter Snacks

• Raise – Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Nut Clusters → Crunchy, indulgent, but packed with protein, fibre, and antioxidants to support digestion and energy without the sugar crash. Plus, every pack contributes to Magic Breakfast, so your snack supports more than just your mood.
• Soulel – Organic Booster Treats → Goji berries, cocoa, guarana, and ginseng for a natural lift. They hit that sweet-crunch craving but also support immune health, focus, and stress resilience.
• Boundless – Chipotle & Lime Chips → For when crisps are calling, these activated sorghum chips bring smoky-spicy crunch, gut-friendly fibre, and plant protein.

Comfort With Benefits

• Eleat – Protein Cereal Variety Pack → A bowl of chocolatey cereal that actually fuels you: 16g protein, 6g fibre, low sugar. It’s indulgent but keeps blood sugar steady and cravings at bay.
• Quirky Monkey – Sweet ’N’ Salty Mushroom Hot Chocolate → When you want a hug in a mug, this salted caramel cacao blend is laced with adaptogens like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Ashwagandha to calm stress and sharpen focus.

Stress-Soothing Drinks

• Hip Pop – Cherry & Blackberry CBD Kombucha → Fizzy, fruity, probiotic-rich kombucha plus 15mg CBD to help you unwind while supporting gut health.
• Clean Co – Clean G → For those evenings when a G&T feels like the only comfort, swap to this award-winning 0.0% ABV gin alternative. Herbal, refreshing, and alcohol-free — so you get the ritual without the hangover.

How to Stop Comfort Eating Without Food Guilt

Cravings aren’t just about food, they’re about stress. To stop comfort eating, you don’t need stricter willpower. You need better stress relief.

Mind-body resets

• Deep breathing – slows heart rate and calms the nervous system in minutes. Deep breathing practices have been shown to lower cortisol within minutes, giving your body the stress relief it was seeking without needing a sugar hit (APA)
• Mindfulness meditation – helps you notice cravings without reacting automatically
• Expressive writing – offload negative thoughts onto paper instead of onto your plate

Lifestyle supports

• Physical activity – even light movement regulates stress and boosts energy
• A good night’s sleep – poor sleep raises cortisol, making cravings harder to control
• Spending time with friends or a supportive family member – social connection is one of the most effective stress relievers

Daily rituals

• Self-care as prevention – plan small resets like a walk, stretch, or bath into your day
• To-do list clarity – getting important tasks out of your head reduces overwhelm
• Positive swaps – keeping snacks like Raise Clusters or Soulel Treats nearby makes healthier comfort the easy choice

The Bigger Picture — Comfort Eating, Mental Health, and Self Care

Comfort food cravings are part of being human. They don’t mean you’re weak or broken, they mean you’re stressed. Stress eating is just one way your body tries to cope. With the right swaps, rituals, and stress management tools, you can take back control in a way that feels supportive, not restrictive.

At Chill, we believe stress management should fit real life. No pressure, no perfection. Just small steps towards better balance. Stress less. Live more.

FAQs

What is the psychology behind comfort eating?
It’s a combination of stress hormones, dopamine reward, and learned associations like linking certain foods with safety or family comfort.

How do you stop comfort eating?
By reducing stress triggers, building self care rituals, and keeping healthier comfort foods on hand. It’s about managing stress, not denying yourself.

What can boost your mood?
Whole grains, omega-3 rich foods, magnesium, physical activity, good sleep, social connection, and functional snacks like adaptogen blends or CBD kombucha.

What are the 4 happy hormones?
Dopamine (reward), serotonin (calm), oxytocin (connection), and endorphins (natural pain relief and “feel good” rush).