Research

Hormonal

Glucocorticoids increase the motivation (incentive salience) to eat, while insulin determines the preference for high-density (sweet/fat) foods.

Stress doesn't just make you eat more; it makes you crave high-fat, high-sugar foods more intensely. This is because stress hormones increase the 'drive' to eat, while insulin makes those specific foods taste better and feel more rewarding. To manage this, focus on stress reduction and avoiding highly palatable foods when stressed, as your brain will be biologically primed to seek them out.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The results of these experiments suggest... that B or F increases drive for calories but that insulin may exert two actions... insulin at low concentrations could increase the palatability, or hedonic effects, of lard...
Mary F. Dallman et al. · Endocrinology · 2004

Why this rating

Supported by rodent studies (ADX rats) and human observations (Cushing's patients preferring high-fat dairy).

Source

Minireview: Glucocorticoids—Food Intake, Abdominal Obesity, and Wealthy Nations in 2004

Mary F. Dallman et al. · Endocrinology · 2004

DOI 10.1210/en.2004-0037

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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