Science and Food Cravings

I am an admitted science nerd. I love learning how the brain & body works and why we seem driven to do certain things.  I ran across this information [site reference at end of post] and wanted to share it with you all.  In my next post I will discuss what specific cravings mean as a message from our body.   

Sweet treats? Savory bites? Salty nibbles? Most of us have go-to foods that we always want to indulge in, yet many feel guilty giving in to these cravings. Our cravings stem from complex interactions between our digestive system, brain, hormones, and even our environment. Unlike a hunger sensation that starts in our stomach, cravings stem from our brain. 
Cravings are often related to positive feelings or experiences associated with specific foods. Certain foods, such as foods high in sugar and fat content, trigger our brains to release opioids, which are chemicals that bind to receptors in our brain that make us feel pleasure. We also associate certain foods to positive experiences or memories. Furthermore, we only crave food that we have had before because our brain remembers pleasurable physical or psychological experiences associated with this food.

Aside from the physical and psychological markers of food cravings, some theories suggest that humans have innate cravings for high-calorie, energy-dense foods. These types of foods were a survival mechanism for when we were hunter-gatherers.  
https://www.palomahealth.com/learn/what-food-cravings-mean-hormones?_kx=Lo5UERZo-L8kZApE6sI8S5bRcg-T5UoOWDqCNCjRoCo_rSKjr_Zmw8NR4byIH5tw.JaQNm6