Cortisol, Stress, and Cravings: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You
by Kathryn Davis, MS, Nutrition Specialist
It may be common to need caffeine to keep you going through your day, but common is not actually normal or even optimal! If you have fallen into the vicious cycle of craving coffee in the morning and then needing a sweet pick-me-up in the afternoon to make it through your day, something is off! This is a huge red flag and is your body's way of communicating that it needs some TLC. These cravings are not necessarily a lack of will power - these are actual signals that your body is attempting to find quick energy or comfort during stress!
The Cortisol–Blood Sugar Connection
Let's dive into the why! Cortisol is the main hormone that helps your body respond to physical and emotional demands. It helps your body respond to stress by regulating blood sugar, energy, blood pressure, and even inflammation!
During perceived stress, cortisol signals your liver to release stored glucose to provide quick energy. Insulin sensitivity is temporarily reduced to help keep glucose available so your body can have the energy to deal with the stressor!
This is truly a protective measure and allows your body to have energy to run from the threat! The trouble comes when this response is chronic and stress is on-going. You are no longer running from a bear, you're just trying to deal with the day-to-day. Chronic stress prolongs this pattern and then you start to experience blood sugar fluctuations, fatigue, irritability, and cravings (especially for sugar and refined carbs like chips, bread, pasta, crackers, candy, etc.)
Chronic Stress Affects Hunger and Cravings
Chronic stress disrupts two important hormones that regulate your appetite leading to increased food cravings. The first key player is Ghrelin. This is the hormone that stimulates hunger and can often increase during stress causing you to stress eat. Leptin is the second hormone involved in this dance. It helps you feel full, but prolonged stress dampens this signal and makes it less effective, thus leading you to overeat because you don't feel satisfied.
If it's hard for you to turn down the food noise, take a moment to evaluate your stress levels.
Nutrients and Stress
Another downside to prolonged periods of stress is the negative impact on your vitamin and mineral status. Stress increases your body's need for several nutrients involved in energy production, and when stress lasts too long, these key nutrients can become depleted. Check out the best foods to support chronic stress below!
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Magnesium supports muscle relaxation, sleep, and nervous-system regulation.
Food Sources: pumpkin seeds, almonds, beans, leafy greens
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B vitamins help convert food into energy and support brain and neurotransmitter function.
Food Sources: whole grains, legumes, leafy greens, eggs, poultry
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Vitamin C supports antioxidant protection, immune health, and normal adrenal hormone production.
Food Sources: bell peppers, citrus, berries, broccoli
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Healthy fats support brain health and help regulate inflammation and the stress response.
Food Sources: salmon, sardines, chia seeds, flaxseed, walnuts
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Adequate protein intake provides amino acids needed to produce neurotransmitters that influence mood, focus, and stress resilience.
Food Sources: fish, poultry, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, beans and lentils
Nutrition Strategies for Nervous-System Support
One of the first foundational nutrition strategies for stress support is to eat consistent meals throughout the day. I often encourage a consistent afternoon snack too. Now we aren't reaching for a sugary latte in the afternoon or a bag of chips, we are choosing nutrient-dense whole-foods. All meals need to be built around protein, fiber-rich carbs, and omega-3- rich fats. This combination is a powerhouse that supports steady blood sugar and steady energy release (instead of relying on cortisol to trigger quick glucose release).
The second habit we have to address is the reliance on caffeine for energy. If you're a morning coffee drinker, wait to enjoy that magic bean water with or after your first meal of the day. This helps your body shift away from relying on caffeine for energy and improves your blood sugar levels through the rest of the day (say goodbye to the sugary cravings!).
The next really important strategy is hydration and minerals! Chronic stress depletes most of our minerals, so to ensure mineral intake is adequate, I often recommend electrolyte supplementation with balanced salt and potassium amounts. Adding minerals to your water also helps direct the water into your cells - where salt goes, so does water!
Lastly, meal time must become sacred if you are to improve your body's stress response. Breath-work, gratitude, or mindfulness practices become crucial before you eat the first bite of your meal. Daily practice helps your nervous system calm down and prioritize nutrient absorption - allowing you to get the most out of your meals. The benefits come when you are consistent with this practice.
Cravings can be useful information - they are not a personal failure. It is not for lack of will power that it can be so hard to avoid hyper-palatable foods, rather it's your body asking for help! I strongly encourage you to consider your stress, sleep, meal timing, hydration, and meal balance when cravings become frequent. Supporting your stress and nervous system begins with consistent nourishment, not dietary perfection.
If stress, energy crashes, or persistent cravings are making it difficult to feel your best, personalized nutrition support can help you identify patterns and build a plan that works for your body. Consider letting us partner with you to provide sustainable habits to improve your stress response!
