Struggling with weight loss and fed up with diets? According to WILDFIT founder Eric Edmeades, understanding the six human hungers and how best to respond to them is essential to a healthy relationship with food
At the heart of food psychology lies a powerful question: Why do we eat what we eat, when we eat it? This question has guided me through years of working with thousands of people from all over the world as part of my health education and coaching company WILDFIT®. Ultimately it’s led to a discovery that has shaped WILDFIT’s entire approach to health and eating: the six human hungers.
In observing patterns, behaviors and common struggles around food, I noticed something intriguing—most eating decisions weren’t purely based on physical hunger. Instead they often stemmed from a complex mix of psychological, biological and emotional drives that weren’t always aligned with the body’s actual needs.
This realization revealed a critical insight: What we often think of as “hunger” can actually be triggered by any of six distinct motivations.
Each of these six human hungers has the power to influence when, what and how much we eat. Understanding which of these hungers is at play allows you to reclaim control over your eating choices so you can make intentional and informed decisions rather than simply responding to cravings or impulses.
These hungers represent the range of forces that shape our food choices. Recognizing them—and learning to respond to each one thoughtfully—is the first step toward a more empowered and fulfilling relationship with food.
These hungers dictate our eating patterns, and their influence only intensifies when several of them are triggered at once. When three or more coincide, cravings can feel nearly impossible to resist. This is because intense hunger engages an ancient survival instinct: as hunger grows, so does our urgency and adaptability in choosing foods.
Prolonged hunger might have driven our ancestors to hunt more dangerous prey or to experiment with unfamiliar plants—a strategy that, while risky, was sometimes safer than facing starvation. This instinct to eat what was available may have saved lives in times of scarcity, but in today’s world of abundant, easily accessible food, it often works against us.
This is a key reason so many diets fail. Although they’re often nutrient-deprived despite consuming high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, people attempt to adopt restrictive diets. Before long, intensified hunger overrides discipline, pushing them to make poor food choices. Feelings of guilt or shame may follow, ironically sparking even more consumption and creating a cycle of overeating and self-reproach.
Each of the six hungers can affect us independently, but when multiple types of hunger are active, their combined force can overwhelm even the strongest willpower.
Here’s an in-depth look at the six human hungers as well as how to respond to each effectively, giving you tools to navigate your relationship with food in a new way. Rather than being driven by unconscious impulses, you’ll be guided by awareness, choice and a relationship with food that truly serves your well-being.
Thirst may not immediately come to mind as a form of hunger, but it’s one of the most foundational drivers of our desire to eat. For our ancestors, thirst and hunger signals were closely linked, and as they approached dehydration, their bodies often triggered a craving for food rather than just water.
In nature, most of the food available—such as root vegetables, fruits and fresh meat—was water-rich and provided essential hydration. So when water wasn’t readily available, their craving for food functioned as an effective survival tool.
Today, however, this once-functional signal often leads us astray. Modern foods, particularly processed snacks, are often low in water and high in salt or chemicals, which can actually worsen dehydration.
A cycle develops: Dehydration triggers the instinct to eat, leading us to reach for foods that provide little to no hydration and can even exacerbate thirst. This only intensifies the body’s craving, creating a feedback loop that leaves us continuously unsatisfied.
Perhaps this explains why, as Pringles famously says, “Once you pop, you can’t stop”—dehydrated and nutrient-poor foods don’t satisfy, so we keep reaching for more.
How to manage thirst-driven hunger
By addressing thirst first, you can reduce unnecessary cravings and sidestep the cycle of dehydration-driven hunger. Supporting hydration at its root means experiencing fewer cravings and a better balance in your daily food choices.
Of the six types of hunger, nutritional hunger is the only one that signals a true physiological need for food. It occurs when our bodies are deficient in specific nutrients, such as certain vitamins, minerals or macronutrients like protein or fats.
Unlike other forms of hunger that may respond to general hunger cues or emotional triggers, nutritional hunger directly reflects our body’s need to restore essential nutrient levels.
Historically, this type of hunger didn’t usually lead to specific cravings. Our ancestors adapted to seasonal food cycles, meaning they might go months without certain types of nutrients and had to make do with whatever was available. Because of this, nutritional hunger typically shows up as a general desire for certain food qualities—such as salty, sweet or fatty—rather than cravings for specific foods.
The body’s drive for foods with these qualities is a protective mechanism. For example, salt cravings might arise when sodium levels are low, while a craving for sweetness may signal a need for quick energy.
These cravings help ensure we seek out foods that can restore nutrient balance. However, in today’s world, processed foods can complicate this instinct.
Salt, sugar and fat are now common additives in processed snacks and meals, yet these foods lack the accompanying vitamins, minerals and proteins our bodies truly need. The result is a craving cycle that begins with a genuine need for nutrients but leads us to foods that only worsen the problem, leaving us craving even more without fulfilling our nutritional needs.
Ultimately this leads people to eat more food than they need but still end up missing key nutrients; in a very real sense, many people in the developed world are simultaneously overfed and undernourished. Current diet trends and “miracle” drugs that curb appetite only make this situation worse, as they reduce overall food intake including the intake of nutritionally important foods.
How to manage nutritional hunger
Understanding nutritional hunger is key to breaking the cycle of vague cravings and giving your body what it truly needs. By focusing on nutrient-dense foods and tuning in to these deeper hunger signals, you can restore balance and reduce the persistent desire for non-nutritive foods.
The desire for variety is a distinct type of hunger that has deep evolutionary roots. This craving for diverse foods once helped ensure that our ancestors ate a balanced diet, gaining a wider array of nutrients by sampling different plants, meats and available foods. It was essential for survival in environments where no single food source could meet all nutritional needs.
In today’s world, however, the desire for variety can easily be overstimulated. Food producers have tapped into this instinct, offering countless flavors, forms and combinations of processed foods—often without much nutritional value.
This can lead to an endless cycle of craving in which our pursuit of variety is disconnected from our true nutritional needs. Instead of guiding us to a balanced diet, it often leads us to consume more food, but not necessarily more nutrition.
Our variety-driven cravings might feel strongest when we’re not fully nourished, as the body’s need for different nutrients amplifies the desire for diverse tastes and textures. This can create a loop of continually seeking novelty in food without feeling truly satisfied because the foods we reach for often lack the nutrients our bodies need.
How to manage variety-seeking hunger
By tuning in to the hunger for variety and choosing foods that genuinely nourish, you can enjoy a satisfying and balanced diet that aligns with your body’s needs, not food industry tactics.
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can trigger an intense hunger that feels urgent and powerful yet isn’t necessarily tied to a need for more nutrients. When blood sugar drops too low, the body reacts with a series of signals designed to restore glucose quickly. Symptoms can include fatigue, shakiness, irritability, dizziness and even heart palpitations—all signals that the body needs energy fast.
Though especially relevant for those with diabetes or insulin resistance, low blood sugar episodes can affect anyone, particularly those who rely heavily on processed or low-quality carbohydrates. When we consume foods high in refined sugars, blood sugar spikes and then crashes, creating a cycle in which the body is constantly searching for quick energy.
This pattern can be especially challenging for people who are not “fat adapted,” meaning their metabolism has become reliant on glucose as a primary fuel source and struggles to switch to fat-burning in times of need.
How to manage low-blood-sugar hunger
Building a balanced metabolism and reducing dependence on sugar as a primary fuel source can help stabilize blood sugar levels. By promoting this metabolic flexibility, you can reduce intense hunger episodes and create a more consistent, sustainable energy pattern.
An empty stomach often triggers feelings of hunger, but it’s primarily a physical sensation rather than a signal that the body needs immediate nourishment.
Throughout human history, periods of emptiness in the stomach were common, and our bodies adapted to use these times for essential internal processes, such as burning older or damaged proteins. This cleanup process, known as autophagy, plays a critical role in cellular repair and renewal, as it clears out damaged cells and recycles resources for other functions.
Periods of fasting, whether intentional or due to food scarcity, naturally stimulate autophagy. While beneficial, fasting isn’t to be taken lightly, particularly by those who may already be nutritionally deprived or have never fasted previously.
For many, though, experiencing an empty stomach can offer a renewed sense of body awareness and a chance to reconnect with hunger cues. Learning to differentiate between a naturally empty stomach and true nutritional need is key to navigating this type of hunger.
How to manage empty-stomach hunger
Embracing the sensation of an empty stomach as part of a natural rhythm can help clarify hunger signals and support the body’s regenerative processes. With this understanding, you can make informed choices about when and why to eat, fostering a balanced approach to health and hunger.
Emotional hunger is the drive to eat as a way to soothe emotional discomfort rather than to meet a physical need. This form of hunger is among the most complex and potentially disruptive, as it often doesn’t respond to typical hunger cues and can create a feedback loop that intensifies emotions rather than soothing them.
Emotional hunger is unique in that it can magnify or escalate other forms of hunger. For instance, if you’re already experiencing low blood sugar or dehydration, emotional stress can make those cravings feel overwhelming, prompting you to reach for comfort foods with little or no nutritional value.
Consider a mother shopping with her kids: She’s focused on her tasks, dealing with the demands of the day and maybe running on caffeine after missing breakfast. Her energy is low, her blood sugar’s dropping and the kids are restless, asking for her attention while she rushes through the store.
Then one of her children accidentally breaks a jar of sauce. Frustrated and tired, she finishes the shopping, wrestles through traffic to get home and, while unpacking, suddenly feels emotionally drained and overwhelmed.
This perfect storm of physical and emotional hunger cues often drives us to reach for quick, comforting snacks—ice cream, chocolate or potato chips. But afterward, rather than feeling satisfied, we may feel regret or guilt, which can deepen the cycle, sparking cravings later in an attempt to soothe these newly added emotions.
These situations demonstrate that many of us tend to avoid unpleasant emotions by reaching for something to eat instead of recognizing the emotions as valuable signals.
Rather than tuning in to feelings of frustration, sadness or joy as potential motivators to learn, grow or take action, many of us turn to food, TV, social media or other distractions to numb or deflect them. See ‘How emotional associations with food develop,’ below, for the three major factors that often shape our emotional relationship with food.
Emotional hunger is dangerous because it’s an attempt to satisfy an emotional need with food, which ultimately can’t provide the comfort or resolution we seek. This can leave us feeling even more unsatisfied, intensifying the very emotions we were trying to avoid.
To address this cycle, it’s helpful to engage in a self-reflection process that helps redirect emotional hunger into more constructive actions.
How to manage emotional hunger
For example, if I’m craving ice cream because I feel trapped or confined, I recognize that what I’m seeking is a sense of freedom or control. Instead of indulging in the ice cream, I could go for a run, call a friend or try a new activity—ways to create that sense of liberation without relying on food.
This type of introspection can help us distinguish between genuine nutritional needs and emotional cravings. The goal isn’t just to avoid comfort foods but to reframe emotional eating as an opportunity for self-awareness and growth.
By understanding the roots of our cravings and choosing alternate forms of comfort, we can achieve a sense of food freedom, relying on self-awareness rather than willpower alone. This process empowers us to make conscious choices that align with our needs, giving us control over our relationship with food instead of allowing our emotions to dictate it.
During WILDFIT group retreats and coaching, I ask people what emotions typically drive them to eat. It quickly becomes clear that almost any emotion—good or bad—can spark cravings. For some, feelings of sadness, anger or frustration trigger the urge to eat, while others are prompted by happiness or celebration.
Fascinatingly, the same foods often fulfill cravings on both ends of the emotional spectrum. Chocolate, pizza or ice cream, for example, may serve as rewards in moments of joy or as comforts in times of distress.
How do we develop these associations between emotions and certain foods? Many of the relationships form in childhood and are shaped by the people, environments and cultural cues around us. Here are three major factors that often shape our emotional relationship with food.
First impressions. Early experiences with certain foods can make a lasting impression. For instance, I avoided tapioca for years after someone jokingly told me it was made from fish eggs. That initial impression stayed with me even after I’d come to enjoy actual fish eggs on sushi. These initial experiences shape how we relate to food on a deeper, often unconscious, level.
Emotional responses. As children, we often learn to associate certain foods with specific feelings or memories. For instance, a child given a cookie to comfort them after a fall may associate sweets with relief or love. Or if a parent consoles children with pizza and ice cream after a disappointing sports game, those foods may later become their go-to for comfort. These formative experiences shape our adult responses. So when that child grows up and has a bad day at work, they might instinctively crave pizza and ice cream to “fix” their mood.
Food industry influence. Many food companies take advantage of these early experiences by embedding themselves into our first food memories. Sugary cereals are placed at children’s eye level on grocery shelves and packaged with colorful mascots, and fast-food chains create play spaces that tie their brands to fun and reward.
Some food companies even sponsor major celebrations and sporting events, fostering a connection between their products and our happiest memories. This tactic not only influences children’s requests but builds brand loyalty that can last a lifetime. Food marketers, well aware of our emotional hunger cues, deliberately design foods and branding that appeal to these early associations, sidestepping our rational decision-making in favor of instant gratification.
One example from my own life highlights how deeply ingrained food associations can be. When I was 13 years old, my father sent me to a boarding school in northern Canada. It was a unique place where our first week wasn’t spent in the classroom but on a “new boy hike”—a weeklong trek through the wilderness.
The school environment itself was strict, and between regimented schedules, winter sports training and even corporal punishment, I often felt trapped and isolated. Yet every Tuesday night, the school canteen opened, allowing us to buy treats.
We weren’t allowed to bring food from outside, so this weekly opportunity to purchase treats became a small freedom. I gravitated toward the limited supply of ice cream, relishing every bite as a momentary escape.
Many years later, after delving into food psychology, I realized that this simple ritual had a lasting impact. On particularly hard days, I’d catch myself eating ice cream in dim lighting, recreating that fleeting feeling of freedom I once associated with those Tuesday nights.
A similar story came up in a WILDFIT class. One participant shared that she had a craving for icing. When we explored this further, she realized the craving was tied to memories of sneaking canned icing while her mother baked.
She associated those moments with fun and laughter, especially now that her mother was dealing with early-stage dementia. Recognizing her craving for icing as an attempt to reconnect with those cherished memories was transformative for her.
Adapted from The WILDFIT Way: Proven Principles for Improved Quality of Life, Extended Healthspan and Easy Weight Loss by Eric Edmeades (Hay House, 2025), £16.99
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