Why We Reach for Bread When Life Feels Heavy
Why We Crave Bread And Crisps When We’re Stressed
The Real Story Behind Why We Crave Bread & Butter And Other Comfort Foods
Ever notice how stress can send you straight to the bread bin or make crisps and cheese suddenly irresistible?
You are not alone.
When life feels overwhelming, many of us crave carbs. It is not just emotional eating or lack of control. It is actually your body’s chemistry trying to help you cope.
Carbs and serotonin: your brain’s comfort blanket
Serotonin is one of your key “feel-good” brain chemicals. It helps you stay calm, emotionally balanced and able to sleep well. When stress levels rise, serotonin can dip, which is why you might feel anxious, flat or easily overwhelmed. Your body naturally looks for ways to lift serotonin again, and carbohydrates are a quick fix.
Eating something starchy like bread, pasta or crisps causes your body to release insulin. This allows most amino acids from protein to move into your muscles, but one amino acid called tryptophan stays in the bloodstream and travels to your brain. Once there, it is converted into serotonin, giving you that familiar wave of comfort after eating. It is why toast with butter or a bowl of pasta can feel so soothing.
The problem is that the effect is short-lived. Refined carbs can spike your blood sugar quickly, then drop it again just as fast, leaving you tired, irritable or craving more. That is why stress eating can easily turn into a loop where you keep reaching for quick fixes but never feel fully satisfied.
Dopamine: the “feel-good now” hit
Dopamine is another key player. It is linked to motivation, focus and reward. When you are stressed, dopamine levels can fall, leaving you flat, distracted and craving something that gives you pleasure. Foods that are high in both fat and carbs, such as bread with butter or cheese, light up the brain’s reward centres. The combination of crunch, salt, fat and sugar gives a dopamine boost that feels instantly gratifying.
It is a powerful mix! Serotonin gives you calm, dopamine gives you pleasure, and together they can make stress-eating habits feel almost impossible to resist.
The stress and cortisol connection
When stress becomes chronic, cortisol, your main stress hormone, stays elevated. Cortisol increases appetite and drives you to seek energy-dense foods like carbohydrates and fats. This response once helped humans survive periods of threat or scarcity. Today, it often leads to constant grazing or cravings for quick energy when you are emotionally or mentally exhausted.
Finding balance again
Supporting serotonin and dopamine naturally is about giving your body steady, reliable nourishment rather than quick hits.
Include protein at every meal to provide tryptophan and tyrosine, the amino acids your brain needs to make serotonin and dopamine.
Choose complex carbs such as oats, quinoa, beans and root vegetables for slow, steady energy.
Add healthy fats from oily fish, nuts and seeds to keep your mood stable.
Prioritise magnesium, zinc and B vitamins, which are essential for healthy neurotransmitters.
Move your body, get sunlight and do something creative — all proven ways to boost dopamine without relying on food.
Craving carbs under stress is normal; it is your brain trying to find safety and balance. The key is to meet that need with foods that nourish rather than numb. Real comfort comes from feeding your brain, helping your body feel safe and managing your stress. Something I get to help clients with every day. If you need support, are feeling burnt out or are finding you are reaching for the bread bin a bit more often these days, get in touch.