Food is an essential part of human life, providing the nourishment and energy our bodies need. However, in today’s society, and especially within the Jewish community, food often takes on roles beyond sustenance. Celebrations, religious observances and family gatherings are punctuated with meals that go beyond the ordinary, lending both to a shared sense of identity and, at times, a complicated relationship with food. For some, this relationship can slide into what is now increasingly recognized as food addiction.

The Science Behind Food Addiction

Food addiction is a relatively new area of study, but its mechanisms bear striking resemblance to other forms of addiction. Studies in neuroscience show that highly processed foods—those high in sugar and salt—activate the brain’s reward system, causing a release of dopamine, the same chemical involved in substance abuse (Gearhardt et al., 2011). This surge in dopamine creates a sense of pleasure, leading people to seek out the food repeatedly to replicate the feeling. Over time, as with any addiction, the individual needs larger amounts to achieve the same dopamine release, resulting in compulsive eating patterns that are difficult to control (Volkow et al., 2013).

Food Addiction and Jewish Life

For Jews, the opportunities for potentially addictive eating are abundant. Shabbos and the chagim are cornerstones of Jewish life, marked by carefully prepared meals, indulgent recipes, and often more than one course per meal. Even a regular Shabbos meal, with its multiple courses, challah and desserts, can involve foods rich in sugars and an abundance of fats. This doesn’t even account for the unique times throughout the year, like Pesach, Purim, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah, each bringing its own foods and feasts. As we know, those are just the set-in-stone times. There are also the simchas of family and friends.

While these meals are designed to elevate the spiritual and communal aspects of our gatherings, they can create a reliance on food as a form of comfort and stress relief. The constant exposure to rich, indulgent foods makes it easy to seek them out even outside these occasions, reinforcing a habit of using food to manage emotions or stress in an unsupportive way and amount.

The Role of Stress and Food Accessibility

Studies have shown that stress/emotional eating is a common response to emotional challenges. When people use food to manage stress/emotions, their intake tends to increase, particularly with foods high in sugar and fat (Adam & Epel, 2007). In our community, food can easily become a coping mechanism. And unlike other addictive substances, food is accessible, legal, and a required part of daily life, making it both harder to regulate and more socially acceptable to overconsume.

For Jews, where almost every gathering includes food, abstinence is not a realistic or culturally appropriate approach. I like to share the four R’s. Restrict – Resent – Rebel – Regret. This is a circular cycle in many cases. Instead, it requires an approach that differs from the four R’s. This is all the more challenging in our context.

Is Food Addiction Real?

While the idea of food addiction is still debated, mounting evidence supports its reality. A notable study led by Ashley Gearhardt developed the Yale Food Addiction Scale, which identifies symptoms of food addiction based on patterns of behavior like craving, loss of control and continued use despite negative consequences (Gearhardt et al., 2009). Studies using this scale have found that up to 15% of people may display behaviors consistent with food addiction (Gearhardt et al., 2011). This research is significant for the Jewish community, where frequent feasts are not only encouraged but central to our spiritual lives.

Breaking the Cycle: Moving Towards a Multi-Angle Approach

Given that food will always be central to Jewish observance, tackling our relationship with food must involve strategies other than restriction. Let’s dive in.

Intentional Nutrition: A growing body of research shows that intention/mindfulness can reduce reactional/compulsive eating behaviors. By bringing intention and awareness, people are less likely to overeat or feel the need to binge (Kristeller & Wolever, 2011). Applying this during Shabbos, chagim and simchas, rather than reacting, can help you maintain ownership—and you can make decisions.

Emotional Awareness: Recognizing when we turn to food for comfort or stress relief is key to breaking the habit. Studies suggest that emotional awareness can reduce the likelihood of emotional eating (Sirois, 2008). For example, journaling after a stressful day instead of heading for a snack can help to address the emotional cause without relying on food. Another tool to develop can be expressing your current challenge to a loved one.

Crazy as it may seem, I do not believe in the need to eradicate emotional/stress eating. I believe that gaining awareness and ownership over it is a need. I am a living example of that. Meaning, my main source and choice of instant relief is food. I do not feel I need to—or even can—get rid of that. Therefore, having ownership over my decisions when turning to food for relief is a priority.

Developing Core Mindsets And Habits Is Essential For This Approach

Acknowledging the reality of food addiction and its unique challenges within Jewish life allows us to better address this struggle and create healthier relationships with food. The steps toward supportive eating are not about restricting from a “no” place. We must at times say no, but from a “yes” place. As we work to build these healthier relationships, we can fully embrace our traditions and thrive within them, free from the grips of addiction.

Chaim Loeb is a men’s online health and fitness coach at Fit Yid Academy. Contact him at [email protected]