News — cravings and the brain

Ever walked past a bakery and suddenly craved a croissant—even if you weren’t hungry? That instant, irresistible desire didn’t start with your stomach—it began in your brain. More specifically, it began with your nose. Food cravings are deeply tied to our sense of smell, and the moment you inhale the scent of something familiar and satisfying, a cascade of neurological events is triggered that can make even the most disciplined eater cave.

The relationship between scent and craving is not just a marketing trick—it's hardwired into the human brain. Smell is closely connected to memory, emotion, and reward pathways, all of which influence our eating behavior more than we realize. In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating neuroscience behind food cravings, why scent plays such a dominant role, and how this knowledge can be harnessed to improve eating habits and emotional health.