Decoding Your Cravings: Why am I craving biscuits so much?

October 26, 2025 •

5 min read

Over 90% of people experience intense food cravings, and if you've ever asked, "Why am I craving biscuits so much?", you are not alone. The answer is more complex than simple hunger, often stemming from a mix of physiological and psychological factors that signal a deeper need. Understanding these root causes is the first step toward regaining control over your diet and nourishing your body more effectively.

Quick Summary

Intense biscuit cravings can stem from hormonal imbalances, stress, and nutrient deficiencies. Understanding the triggers can help manage these cravings with mindful eating and healthier alternatives.

Key Points

Blood Sugar Imbalance: Rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar, caused by refined carbohydrates and sugar in biscuits, trigger cravings for more quick energy.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Cravings for specific foods can signal a lack of essential nutrients like magnesium, chromium, or B vitamins.
Emotional and Stress Triggers: High-fat, high-sugar foods like biscuits provide a temporary dopamine rush, offering comfort during stressful or emotional times.
Learned Habits: Eating biscuits at specific times, like with afternoon tea, can create a conditioned habit that is difficult to break.
Hormonal Influence: Fluctuations in hormones, especially due to sleep deprivation or the menstrual cycle, can increase appetite and intensify cravings.
Mindful Management: Strategies like staying hydrated, balancing meals, and finding distractions can effectively manage and reduce cravings over time.

A sudden, intense urge for a specific food like a biscuit is a powerful signal from your body and mind. Biscuits are a perfect comfort food because they are a highly palatable mix of sugar, fat, and refined carbohydrates, which activates the brain's reward centers, releasing pleasure-inducing dopamine. This creates a potent cycle of craving and consumption that can become a hard-to-break habit. Decoding the real reasons behind your specific cravings is key to managing them and improving your overall nutrition.

The Physiological Drivers Behind Your Biscuit Cravings

Blood Sugar Imbalances

Eating processed, sugary carbohydrates like biscuits causes your blood sugar to spike rapidly. This is followed by a crash, which leaves you feeling tired and sluggish. Your body then craves another quick energy boost, sending you right back to the biscuit tin. This roller-coaster effect makes it difficult to stop and is a major contributor to persistent cravings.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Sometimes, a craving is your body's confused way of signalling a need for specific nutrients. Biscuits, being processed, lack the vitamins and minerals your body needs, leading to misdirected cravings for the energy they provide. Common deficiencies linked to cravings include:

Magnesium: Often linked to chocolate cravings, as cocoa is a source of magnesium. A deficiency can lead to anxiety, stress, and a need for quick comfort, which chocolate biscuits provide.
Chromium: This mineral is vital for regulating blood sugar levels by helping insulin function properly. A lack of it can cause unstable blood sugar, leading to cravings for sugary and starchy foods.
B Vitamins: Essential for energy production and mood regulation. Low levels can lead to fatigue and low mood, triggering a desire for a quick, sugary fix to boost energy and serotonin.
Essential Fatty Acids: Craving fatty foods can sometimes indicate a deficiency in healthy fats. Instead of reaching for processed fat in biscuits, the body is actually signalling a need for omega-3s.

Hormonal Fluctuations

Hormones play a significant role in managing appetite. Fluctuations due to stress, sleep deprivation, or the menstrual cycle can all trigger cravings.

Cortisol (Stress Hormone): When stressed, your body releases cortisol, which increases your appetite, especially for high-fat, high-sugar foods like biscuits.
Ghrelin and Leptin: Lack of sleep increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the satiety hormone), leading to increased appetite and cravings for quick energy.
Menstrual Cycle: Fluctuating hormones during the premenstrual phase can lead to lower serotonin levels, prompting cravings for carbs and sweets as a way to boost mood.

Psychological and Habitual Triggers

Emotional Eating

For many, eating is a coping mechanism for emotions like stress, sadness, anxiety, or boredom. Biscuits can be a temporary source of comfort and distraction from difficult feelings.

Learned Habits and Routines

Cravings can also be a learned behaviour. If you regularly have a biscuit with your afternoon tea or as a treat after a long day, your brain creates a powerful association. These ingrained habits can trigger a craving even when you're not physically hungry.

Healthy Alternatives to Satisfy Your Biscuit Craving

Instead of caving to an unhealthy biscuit craving, try a healthier alternative. By swapping high-sugar, low-nutrient biscuits for more wholesome options, you can nourish your body while still enjoying a satisfying snack. Here are some smart swaps:

For a sweet fix: Fresh fruit, particularly berries or a banana, provides natural sweetness and fiber. Frozen grapes also make a great candy alternative.
For a crunch: Nuts and seeds, like almonds or pumpkin seeds, offer healthy fats and protein that provide sustained energy. Alternatively, try air-popped popcorn for a light, satisfying crunch.
For a creamy texture: A small bowl of Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of berries or a few dark chocolate chips can hit the spot while providing protein and probiotics.
For chocolate: Opt for a square of 70%+ dark chocolate to get the rich flavour and magnesium without the high sugar content.

Biscuit Craving: Unhealthy Indulgence vs. Smart Swap


Feature	Typical Processed Biscuit	Healthier Swap Example (e.g., Apple Slices with Nut Butter)
Sugar Content	High in refined sugars, causing spikes and crashes.	Contains natural sugars from fruit, moderated by fiber.
Nutritional Value	Low; often provides empty calories with few vitamins or minerals.	High; provides fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Satiety	Low; sugar rush followed by a crash, leaving you wanting more.	High; fiber and protein promote a feeling of fullness for longer.
Impact on Blood Sugar	Rapid spike and fall due to simple carbohydrates.	Slower, more stable release of glucose due to fiber and protein.
Calories	Often high for a small portion; easy to overconsume.	More nutrient-dense calories that help you feel full and satisfied.

Strategies for Mindful Management

Stay Hydrated: Thirst is often mistaken for hunger or a craving. Drinking a glass of water and waiting 15 minutes can often help you identify if you're actually thirsty.
Prioritize Sleep: Poor sleep messes with your hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin), making cravings more likely. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to help balance these hormones.
Balance Your Meals: Include protein, fiber, and healthy fats in every meal. This helps stabilize blood sugar and keeps you feeling full and satisfied for longer, reducing the urge to snack.
Distract Yourself: When a craving strikes, find a distraction. Take a short walk, call a friend, or engage in a hobby. Research shows that distracting yourself for even a few minutes can help the craving pass.
Address Emotional Triggers: If you suspect emotional eating, try healthier coping mechanisms. Techniques like meditation, journaling, or exercise can help manage stress and anxiety without turning to food.
Practice Mindful Eating: When you do indulge in a biscuit, do so mindfully. Savor every bite slowly. This can help satisfy the craving with a smaller amount and reduce guilt.
Create New Habits: Break old routines by altering your environment. If you always have a biscuit with your coffee, try having a piece of fruit instead. Keeping biscuits out of sight can also reduce temptation.

Conclusion: Finding the Root Cause

Your intense craving for biscuits is not just about a lack of willpower. It's a complex interaction of your body's physiological signals, emotional state, and learned habits. By addressing the underlying reasons—from stabilizing blood sugar and filling nutritional gaps to managing stress and building new routines—you can reduce your reliance on biscuits for a quick fix. Understanding and responding to your body's true needs, rather than giving in to misdirected cravings, is a powerful step toward a healthier, more balanced diet.

For more information on the link between stress, emotional eating, and cravings, see the Cleveland Clinic article on breaking a sugar addiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

This could indicate a learned habit or routine. If you associate biscuits with a specific time, like a coffee break or watching TV, your body will expect that treat and trigger a craving.

Yes. Fluctuations in hormones, especially in women during the menstrual cycle, can affect appetite and mood, leading to cravings for comfort foods. Stress hormones like cortisol also increase cravings for sugary and fatty items.

It can be a signal of a nutrient deficiency, but the craving is often misdirected. Craving sugary carbs might indicate a need for magnesium or chromium, but your body learns to associate the craving with processed foods rather than the true nutrient sources.

Yes, true hunger is a physiological signal that builds gradually and can be satisfied by a range of foods. A craving is an intense, sudden urge for a specific food and is often emotionally or psychologically driven, not tied to physical need.

When a craving hits, try waiting 15-20 minutes and distracting yourself. Taking a brisk walk, drinking a glass of water, or engaging in a hobby can help reduce the intensity until the craving passes.

Biscuits are often a comfort food. When you're bored or stressed, your brain seeks a reward and distraction. The sugar and fat in biscuits trigger a temporary dopamine release, providing a short-term mood boost.

Absolutely. Lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones that regulate appetite. Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep helps rebalance these hormones, which can significantly reduce cravings for quick energy fixes.