A member asked:

Can there be a scientific reason for food cravings?

8 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Dr. Barbara Lavi answered

Specializes in Clinical Psychology

Food cravings: R all in our heads i.e., our brains. The hippocampus, insula, and caudate - appear 2 b activated when we crave food. New research from the monell chemical senses center suggest memory areas which r responsible 4 associating a specific food with a reward r actually more important 2 food cravings than the brain's reward center. More; http://www.Webmd.Com/diet/features/the-facts-about-food-craving.

Answered 9/16/2013

4.9k views

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Dr. Pamela Pappas answered

Specializes in Psychiatry

Absolutely, yes: I agree with dr. Lavi about some of the brain regions affected in food cravings. Studies have also shown that the nucleus accumbens -- the same area of brain "reward system" so well known in other addictions -- is also involved in sugar cravings. http://tinyurl.com/m5t3489 blood sugar and Insulin response --and hunger & food cravings afterwards -- increased with high sugar-containing foods.

Answered 6/25/2014

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