Emotional Hunger vs. Physical Hunger: How Can You Tell the Difference?

Emotional eating refers to the urge to eat when you are having strong emotions, as opposed to eating because you’re actually hungry. When emotional eating becomes a habit, it might have negative effects on your quality of life, and you may become disconnected from your usual physical hunger cues.

In this video, learn the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger, which may help you reconnect with your hunger and fullness cues.

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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