We’ve all been there: strolling through the food aisles at the local Stop n’ Shop or Target, an hour before dinner. But instead of buying the essentials for a nutritious meal, we buy every snack in sight, filled with sugar and fat. It’s a rule of thumb not to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, and this is why––we seem to buy more and more junk food the hungrier we are, but why does the stomach (or brain) crave bad food when all we need is a good meal?
A new study finally proves that this is not just a myth or a simple craving to write off, this effect of craving junk when you are most hungry is scientifically proven. The study, lead by Yale University and Southern California researchers, scanned brains of 14 men and women. The subjects ranged from very healthy to obese, and they had all eaten their last meal two hours before the test. A device controlled their glucose levels as they saw pictures of healthy and unhealthy food. When glucose levels were low (which is what happens when you are hungry) the subjects’ brains showed more activity in a deeper area of the brain that controls addiction and reward.
This all might seem a little complicated, but the results couldn’t have been clearer: when glucose levels are
low, the body turns itself into survival mode and removes any barrier to eating. This explains why you don’t seem to care as much about eating that spoonful of peanut butter or the half box of Oreos when you’re starving as much as you do when you are satisfied; the brain doesn’t care when it is hungry. Junk food also has much higher levels of glucose than healthier choices, so the brain is instantly drawn to those.
Another interesting fact found in the study showed that the obese people who were tested didn’t seem to have an off switch for their cravings. In other words, even when their glucose levels were normal, they still felt a strong pull toward fattier options than leaner people did. The bottom line is that sometimes we can’t control how our brain works, it just does what it thinks is the right thing to do.
Thankfully, if for some reason your body does need to go into survival mode, it will be plenty ready to jump on any food option made available, especially ones that will shoot up your glucose level. Unfortunately, when you are making the rounds in the grocery store, chances are you probably aren’t fighting to survive, which means it is time to step away from that candy bar.
Next time you go shopping to stock up your cupboards or plan for your next meal, have a healthy snack before heading out the door. Cut up an apple and smear on a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. If you’re really in a rush, munch on a granola bar, or anything that will keep you satisfied for the next couple of hours and keep your brain from thinking you are running on empty. Know what you are going for ahead of time by planning your meals and your list of essentials. This might seem like a lot to do just to go on a weekly errand, but all of this preparation will keep you out of survival mode and on the right track to eating healthy.
HU: Healthy University is a series by Her Campus writer Meghan McCloskey, which centers around Hofstra fitness.