Food

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What is the psychology behind junk food temptation?

Dr (Miss) Sumit Grover, clinical psychologist and life coach, shared with HT Lifestyle the psychology behind junk food. According to her, cravings for junk food come from ancient survival instincts as the brain naturally seeks sugar, salt and fat for energy. But today, the food industry exploits this by creating ultra-processed foods that trigger dopamine and give instant comfort. Advertising further intensifies the urges.

If you are worried that you don’t have enough willpower, you have to understand that biology and emotional conditioning are also at play here. The psychologist added, “Indulging in unhealthy foods is not a matter of weak willpower; it’s a matter of complex interaction between brain chemistry, emotional regulation, and environmental conditioning.”

“Cravings also rise during stress, fatigue, or emotional distress as the individual craves such food for immediate relief or immediate gratification,” she highlighted, adding that this pattern of seeking comfort from these foods turns into a habit, where the brain begins to associate junk food with comfort.

How to change the attitude towards junk food?

To change the attitude towards junk food, as per the psychologist, one should start by identifying what triggers their cravings, which primarily are boredom, stress, loneliness, and body image issues.

She suggested that the mind can be ‘reprogrammed.’ Elaborating on this, Sumit said, “The mind can be reprogrammed by replacing unwanted food with wholesome but satiating food, for example, sweets with fruit or fried/baked food with grilled/baked food.”

A mindset shift is also required. “Reframing food as fuel, and not comfort, through cognitive-behavioural methods can be a sustainable, balanced shift in the thought process,” She added.

As pointed out before, emotional eating is one of the reasons for gravitating towards junk foods, as they bring joy. The psychologist noted that depression and eating disorders are rooted in low self-esteem and a need for control. Here, the control is gained by bingeing on food.

Sumit further explained why emotional eating ends up in a vicious cycle you can’t seem to get out of, “Food is used as a means of deflecting and regulating painful feelings such as sadness, emptiness, or loss for many people. Emotional eating will yield short-term respite with the release of ‘feel-good’ chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, but the relief will be temporary. Guilt or shame typically follows soon, and these can complicate the cycle of depression.” She highlighted that practices like CBT, mindfulness, journaling, or simply talking to someone trusted help to channel the emotions.

But all hope is not lost. In recent years, people have become more and more conscious about clean, mindful eating. While there may still be occasional indulgence, there’s a positive shift towards healthy eating. But here’s the catch: they are not giving up on taste either. People keep an eye out for foods that get the balance between nutrition and good taste right.

Healthy eating market trends

Dr Yashawant Kumar, founder and CEO, Benefic Nutrition, shared with us that right now we are entering an ‘era of healthy indulgence.’

As foodies are growing health-conscious, they are trying to strike a balance by opting for flavour-first nutrition. Dr Kumar explained, “Flavour-first nutrition is booming in India, blending traditional ingredients with global trends. Indians no longer see health and taste as opposites. They want laddoos with protein and chips with quinoa.”

Describing the evolution of the flavour-first nutrition trend, he said, “From 2015 onwards, we saw protein supplements become tastier with flavours like chocolate and vanilla. Then, startups proved healthy snacks could be delicious too. The pandemic pushed people towards immunity-boosting yet indulgent foods, and by 2023, with the International Year of Millets, mainstream brands joined in with millet chocolates, nutri bars and masala oats.”

Revealing the market stats, primarily millennials and Gen Z are the biggest drivers of this trend. Dr Kumar also pointed out popular options currently trending in the market, such as chocolate and vanilla flavours, jaggery-based bars, jeera protein chips, masala makhana and dark chocolate bites.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.