Understanding Your Cravings: Why Am I Craving Hershey's Chocolate?

November 5, 2025 •

6 min read

According to research, cravings are a powerful psychological urge, distinct from physical hunger, that often stems from brain chemistry and emotional associations. Understanding the various factors driving these impulses is key to managing your cravings, especially if you find yourself asking, 'Why am I craving Hershey's chocolate?'.

Quick Summary

This article explores the multi-faceted reasons behind cravings for chocolate, from potential magnesium deficiency to emotional triggers and learned habits. It examines the nutritional profile of Hershey's versus dark chocolate and offers actionable dietary and lifestyle tips for balancing your body's signals and reducing intense urges.

Key Points

Brain Chemistry Drives Cravings: Eating chocolate triggers dopamine and serotonin release, activating the brain's reward system and reinforcing the craving.
Magnesium Deficiency isn't the Whole Story: While cacao is rich in magnesium, the low content in Hershey's milk chocolate suggests the craving is more about sugar, fat, and emotional comfort than a nutritional need.
Emotional and Habitual Eating are Key Triggers: Stress, boredom, and learned routines can lead you to seek chocolate for comfort, perpetuating a craving cycle.
Hormonal Changes and Culture Play a Role: For women, hormonal shifts can trigger cravings, a phenomenon also influenced by cultural conditioning and expectations.
Opt for High-Cacao Dark Chocolate: Choosing dark chocolate with over 70% cacao offers more beneficial nutrients like magnesium and fewer of the sugars that fuel intense cravings.
Balance Your Diet to Manage Cravings: Stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings by eating balanced meals with protein and fiber, and staying well-hydrated.
Practice Mindful Indulgence and Stress Management: Instead of mindless eating, savor a small piece of high-quality chocolate. Address stress through exercise or relaxation rather than turning to food.

Unpacking the Psychology of Chocolate Cravings

Beyond simple hunger, the desire for chocolate is deeply rooted in our brain's reward system. When you eat a sweet, fatty treat like a Hershey's bar, it triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin—neurotransmitters that generate feelings of pleasure and well-being. Your brain learns to associate the creamy, sugary taste with this powerful feel-good sensation, reinforcing the behavior and making you crave it again. This reward-seeking loop can contribute to what is sometimes described as a sugar addiction, making cravings particularly difficult to ignore.

The Role of Emotional and Habitual Eating

Chocolate is a quintessential 'comfort food,' often intertwined with emotional states. Whether you're feeling stressed, sad, or even bored, reaching for a Hershey's bar can be a learned coping mechanism to regulate your mood. Over time, this can become a powerful habit, so you might crave chocolate not out of physical necessity, but simply out of routine—like having a sweet treat after dinner.

Nutrient Deficiencies: Is it a Lack of Magnesium?

One of the most enduring theories surrounding chocolate cravings points to a magnesium deficiency. It's true that cacao, the core ingredient in chocolate, is very high in magnesium. This essential mineral plays a critical role in over 300 bodily functions, from muscle and nerve function to mood regulation. However, your standard Hershey's milk chocolate contains only a fraction of the magnesium found in a higher cacao dark chocolate. While a magnesium deficiency might theoretically trigger a craving for a high-magnesium food, your body is unlikely to be signaling for a highly processed, sugar-laden milk chocolate. A craving for a Hershey's bar is more likely an appeal for the sugar rush and emotional comfort it provides, rather than a specific nutritional need.

Why the Milk Chocolate Preference?

The preference for milk chocolate over its darker counterparts is often a matter of taste and conditioning. The high sugar and fat content of milk chocolate activate the brain's pleasure centers more intensely for many people, while the bitterness of high-cacao chocolate can be an acquired taste. In Western cultures, especially, milk chocolate is heavily marketed as a source of comfort and happiness, further solidifying this association.

Hormonal and Environmental Triggers

Hormonal shifts play a significant role in cravings, particularly for women. Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels before menstruation can impact serotonin, the 'happy hormone,' causing mood dips that trigger cravings for mood-boosting foods like chocolate. Furthermore, cultural influences cannot be underestimated; some studies show that menstrual chocolate cravings are much more common in American-born women than women from other cultures. External cues, like seeing a commercial or smelling chocolate, can also powerfully trigger intrusive thoughts and intensify cravings.

Comparison: Hershey's Milk Chocolate vs. High-Cacao Dark Chocolate


Feature	Hershey's Milk Chocolate	High-Cacao Dark Chocolate (>70%)
Sugar Content	High	Lower
Magnesium Content	Low (around 23mg per 1.5oz bar)	High (approx. 28% of DV per 50g bar)
Nutritional Profile	Primarily sugar and fat, with less nutritional value	Higher in fiber, iron, and antioxidants
Health Concerns	High sugar can contribute to blood sugar spikes and addiction	Some reports cite concerns about heavy metal content in certain brands, so source matters

Strategies for Managing Cravings and Improving Your Diet

Instead of completely cutting out chocolate, which can lead to bingeing, focus on mindful consumption and healthier substitutions.

Balance Your Blood Sugar: Intense sugar cravings often follow a drop in blood sugar levels. Eating balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates helps stabilize glucose levels and reduce the need for a quick sugar fix. Consider having a snack with protein and fiber, like apple slices with peanut butter, to prevent future crashes.
Prioritize Magnesium-Rich Foods: If you suspect a magnesium deficiency, integrate more whole foods containing this mineral into your daily diet.
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale)
- Nuts (almonds, cashews)
- Seeds (pumpkin seeds, chia seeds)
- Legumes and whole grains
Mindful Indulgence: If you must have chocolate, choose a small, high-quality piece of dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher). Its intense flavor is more satisfying in smaller amounts, and it contains less sugar and more beneficial compounds. Savoring the taste and texture can also help satisfy the craving more effectively than mindless eating.
Manage Stress Effectively: Address the root cause of emotional eating by finding alternative coping mechanisms for stress.
- Take a short walk or get some exercise
- Practice meditation or deep breathing
- Engage in a relaxing hobby
Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can sometimes be misinterpreted as a food craving. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help reduce misplaced urges.

Conclusion: Your Body's Language

Craving a Hershey's bar isn't just about the taste; it's a complex interplay of your brain's reward pathways, emotional state, habits, and nutrient levels. While the urge may be real, giving in to highly processed sweets only perpetuates the cycle of craving and mood fluctuations. By understanding the science behind your desires, you can make smarter, more mindful choices. Focusing on a nutrient-rich diet, managing emotional triggers, and opting for healthier, high-cacao chocolate can help you take control of your diet rather than letting your cravings control you.

What to Eat When You’re Craving Chocolate

Fruit: Natural sugars in fruit like berries, bananas, and dates can satisfy a sweet tooth with added fiber and vitamins.
Greek Yogurt: A protein-rich option that can be topped with cocoa powder, berries, or nuts for a decadent but healthy treat.
Raw Cacao Nibs or Powder: Provides a rich, chocolatey flavor without the sugar, fat, or milk. Can be added to smoothies or yogurt.
DIY Avocado Chocolate Truffles: Blending avocado with cocoa powder and a natural sweetener creates a creamy, nutrient-dense truffle alternative.
Baked Sweet Potato: A naturally sweet, fibrous snack that helps stabilize blood sugar and satiates cravings better than refined sugar.

FAQs

Question: Can a craving for chocolate be a sign of a nutrient deficiency? Answer: It can be, particularly a magnesium deficiency, as cocoa is rich in this mineral. However, cravings for processed milk chocolate are more often linked to a desire for sugar and emotional comfort rather than fulfilling a specific nutrient need.

Question: Why do I specifically crave Hershey's and not just any chocolate? Answer: Craving a specific brand like Hershey's is likely due to learned habits and psychological association. The familiar taste, texture, and positive memories tied to the brand can create a powerful, specific craving.

Question: Is it bad to give in to a chocolate craving? Answer: Occasional indulgence is fine, but frequent, mindless consumption of high-sugar milk chocolate can negatively impact your health. Learning to manage cravings and make mindful choices is a healthier, more sustainable approach.

Question: How can I tell if my craving is emotional or physical hunger? Answer: Emotional hunger often targets a specific comfort food like chocolate and is not satisfied after eating, often leading to guilt. Physical hunger, on the other hand, can be satisfied with a variety of nourishing foods.

Question: Is dark chocolate a good alternative to a Hershey's bar? Answer: Yes, high-cacao dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) is a healthier option as it contains less sugar and more beneficial compounds like magnesium and antioxidants. Its rich flavor is also more satisfying in smaller portions.

Question: Do women crave chocolate more than men due to hormonal reasons? Answer: While hormonal fluctuations around the menstrual cycle can trigger cravings in women, research suggests a strong cultural component in Western societies, where chocolate is often heavily marketed as a comfort food specifically for women during this time.

Question: How does my brain contribute to my chocolate cravings? Answer: Eating chocolate stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin, which triggers the brain's reward system and creates a pleasurable memory. This neurochemical response reinforces the craving and makes you want to repeat the behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it can be, particularly a magnesium deficiency, as cocoa is rich in this mineral. However, cravings for processed milk chocolate are more often linked to a desire for sugar and emotional comfort rather than fulfilling a specific nutrient need.

Craving a specific brand like Hershey's is likely due to learned habits and psychological association. The familiar taste, texture, and positive memories tied to the brand can create a powerful, specific craving.

Occasional indulgence is fine, but frequent, mindless consumption of high-sugar milk chocolate can negatively impact your health. Learning to manage cravings and make mindful choices is a healthier, more sustainable approach.

Emotional hunger often targets a specific comfort food like chocolate and is not satisfied after eating, often leading to guilt. Physical hunger, on the other hand, can be satisfied with a variety of nourishing foods.

Yes, high-cacao dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) is a healthier option as it contains less sugar and more beneficial compounds like magnesium and antioxidants. Its rich flavor is also more satisfying in smaller portions.

While hormonal fluctuations around the menstrual cycle can trigger cravings in women, research suggests a strong cultural component in Western societies, where chocolate is often heavily marketed as a comfort food specifically for women during this time.

Eating chocolate stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin, which triggers the brain's reward system and creates a pleasurable memory. This neurochemical response reinforces the craving and makes you want to repeat the behavior.