Prompt Cast
The Science Behind Food Cravings and Why We Have Them
TLDR Food cravings are a universal human trait that can vary culturally, and they are all mental and brain-centric. Cravings can be influenced by factors such as the brain's response to fatty foods, fetal development, body fat, hormones, and pregnancy.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This section of the transcript does not discuss the topic of food cravings.
03:43
Food cravings are a universal human trait that can vary culturally, and there are two types of cravings: stomach cravings and mental cravings.
07:30
Food cravings are all mental and brain-centric, and they are not essential for survival or a way for the body to signal a need for specific nutrients.
11:03
Fatty foods contain opioids that bind to receptors in the brain and create feel-good feelings, similar to the process that occurs with drugs, and this is why we crave them.
14:49
Food cravings can start in the womb, as fetuses can distinguish between different flavors passed to them through the amniotic fluid, and studies have shown that a mother's diet can influence her child's taste preferences.
18:15
Food cravings can be influenced by the amount of fat tissue in the body, with more fat leading to increased cravings, and attempting to cut down on a certain food can actually result in craving it even more.
21:49
Food cravings can be influenced by hormones and pregnancy can cause strange cravings, such as pickles and ice cream, and some people may experience cravings for non-food items due to conditions like pika.
25:24
Pregnant women craving non-food items like dirt or clay is common, especially in the South, and is known as geophagia.
Categories:
Society & Culture
