Are some foods physically addictive?

Or is it all in my head? I get these cravings for chocolate and my hands will shake and I'll get a headache. If I eat the chocolate the symptoms go away. Either way how do I make these craving stop?

There are foods that we eat that make us feel good. Just like any other drug, that makes you crave those foods again because you want that good feeling. It's a mental thing, and probably partly physiological because of hte chemicals that are released in the brain that make you feel good, but you can overcome it. You jsut have to train yourself to go for other things wehn you get that craving. Eat some fruit or something else sweet. Buy some sugar free fudge pops that are like 35 cals to kill that craving. Or do some push ups or something before you eat it. The more you do that, the less often you will crave it.

Well..chocolate contains some caffeine..could that be it?

As an experiment, you could try sipping some tea next time you feel that way and see if that helps. If it does, then it could be caffeine and not chocolate specifically.

Could be low blood sugar, too? I guess you could test that by eating some protein when you feel that way to see.

All that said..I firmly believe oreo's are a tool of the devil and addictive.

I once went through a phase when I wanted nothing to do with any food that wasn't an oreo cookie or the glass of milk I dunked them in. It was back when I was skinny without paying attention, but still..I must have horked down a whole package of those suckers a day for a while. My boyfriend at the time even started stocking his house with them for me.

It was bad haha

"Recently conducted, but previously unpublicized studies suggest that cheese, chocolate, sugar and meat all spark the release of opiate-like substances that trigger the brain’s pleasure center and seduce us into eating them again and again."

http://www.pcrm.org/news/commentary030519.htm l ;

"Chocolate contains small quantities of anandamide, a chemical naturally found in our active little brains the induces a sense of well-being and peacefulness. Chocolate contains two structurally similar chemicals, and some believe this accounts for the soothing feeling sparked by a chocolate binge.
Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid most commonly found in turkey. Think of your last Thanksgiving meal – you felt fat, happy, and super-relaxed in the aftermath, right? Chocolate can have the same effect. The tryptophan in both of these foods assists in the production of serotonin, our mood-modulating neurotransmitter.
Hardcore chocoholics swear consumption triggers an inner-glow like none other. Science can prove it. This sweet treat assists in releasing endorphins, the body’s own opiates. These little honeys ease pain sensitivity and give us a little buzz – and it’s all legal!"

http://seriouslyfoodie.blogspot.com/2007/01/a ddictive-properties-of-chocolate-myths.html&n bsp;

And so forth.

Yes, yes.. These aren't exactly from science journals or anything, but I've stumbled upon a variety of articles with the same information. I also heard somewhere that salt is like an anti-depressant which is why some people feel depressed when they reduce their salt intake. o:

It might be more of a mental thing then anything else. If you feel you can persevere, you defiantly will be able to go without chocolate despite your symptoms. -shrug-

But I don't see any harm in having a moderate amount of chocolate every night.

Original Post by kaybug:

"Recently conducted, but previously unpublicized studies suggest that cheese, chocolate, sugar and meat all spark the release of opiate-like substances that trigger the brain’s pleasure center and seduce us into eating them again and again."

http://www.pcrm.org/news/commentary030519.htm l ;

"Chocolate contains small quantities of anandamide, a chemical naturally found in our active little brains the induces a sense of well-being and peacefulness. Chocolate contains two structurally similar chemicals, and some believe this accounts for the soothing feeling sparked by a chocolate binge.
Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid most commonly found in turkey. Think of your last Thanksgiving meal – you felt fat, happy, and super-relaxed in the aftermath, right? Chocolate can have the same effect. The tryptophan in both of these foods assists in the production of serotonin, our mood-modulating neurotransmitter.
Hardcore chocoholics swear consumption triggers an inner-glow like none other. Science can prove it. This sweet treat assists in releasing endorphins, the body’s own opiates. These little honeys ease pain sensitivity and give us a little buzz – and it’s all legal!"

http://seriouslyfoodie.blogspot.com/2007/01/a ddictive-properties-of-chocolate-myths.html&n bsp;

And so forth.

Yes, yes.. These aren't exactly from science journals or anything, but I've stumbled upon a variety of articles with the same information. I also heard somewhere that salt is like an anti-depressant which is why some people feel depressed when they reduce their salt intake. o:

It might be more of a mental thing then anything else. If you feel you can persevere, you defiantly will be able to go without chocolate despite your symptoms. -shrug-

But I don't see any harm in having a moderate amount of chocolate every night.

LOL I haven't quite managed to master portion control just yet. I only mean to eat a bite and somehow down a whole chocolate bar.

Original Post by jdettingerjp:

Or is it all in my head? I get these cravings for chocolate and my hands will shake and I'll get a headache. If I eat the chocolate the symptoms go away. Either way how do I make these craving stop?

You might just be legitimately hungry? We can get headachey and shaky when we have gone abit too long without eating something, do these symptoms go away if you try eating something more wholesome? Say a healthy sandwich or some yoghurt with fruit etc, or some nuts? I think when we let ourselves get too  hungry our mind wanders automatically to junk food fantasies and cravings. I remember at school I'd just dream about eating chocolate in the class before lunchtime and then automatically convince myself that my body was CRAVING it, when really I was just really hungry - once i'd had my lunch I wasn't that bothered about chocolate anymore. I think our minds sometimes say 'mmm chocolate tastes great...I am hungry...therefore chocolate is what I would really like right now' - this is not your body NEEDING chocolate to get through the day, its your mind playing tricks on your stomach.