16/08/2026
One use for EFT (Tapping) is to reduce or eliminate food cravings. EFT is so effective at this because it addresses all the different aspects of the craving. We may not always think about the reason we crave particular foods, often instead putting it down to being stressed or bored but there are generally multiple factors influencing these cravings.
From a visual aspect, there's the packaging. Have you ever reached to pick up a favourite food, noticed they've changed the packaging and taken a pause to consider if you still wanted it? As we know, a lot of effort goes into the design and packaging to make it really attractive. One client described the colours used on a brand of chocolate she craved as 'very luxurious', after a round of EFT she looked at the same packaging and said 'it's only plastic'. That cognitive shift in itself reduced her overall craving for chocolate.
Smell is a huge driver for food cravings. If you've ever lost your sense of smell you may have noticed that you weren't as interested in food, even those you love. Alternately you may not even feel hungry yet you notice a particular food smell and suddenly you're buying a meal. This often comes back to connecting that smell with a memory and cravings are strongly linked to positive memories.
Sound can also be a trigger for food cravings. Hearing the crinkling of a wrapper from a box of individually wrapped chocolates, the sound of opening a carbonated drink. You may notice a lot in advertising they highlight these sounds as sonic branding, part of the over design to spark that craving.
The feel of the food can also amplify a craving. It may be connected to growing up where a 'treat' was sharing pizza with your friends or having popcorn at the movies, the sensory factor is connected to the positive memories of social connection. It may also have connections to culture, family and shared meals.
For some, texture can be the biggest sensory aspect to influence a craving. Is the preference a creamy potato mash or a crispy chip? In EFT we would tap on the texture craving to identify the feeling this craving is attempting to replicate.
Obviously taste is a major factor in food cravings. Does it taste homemade in the way that reminds you of its connection with childhood? Does this croissant taste exactly like the one you had in Paris on the amazing trip you had to Europe? As with all the sensory aspects there are often positive memories connected to this and the craving may be a way for us to escape from the present moment back to that memory.
We may also be craving food for the somatic sensation it provides. In winter we tend towards heavier warm meals to feel comfort and warmth, whereas in summer we crave refreshing, lighter foods. If we're feeling sluggish we may crave caffeine to provide the sense of feeling more alert and awake. Again it comes back to understanding why we feel the need for the craving and consciously choosing if it is the right choice for us.
Our thoughts and emotions around the particular food we crave may not be as easy to understand on the surface, which is where addressing the sensory aspects with EFT assists to gently uncover these. The memories connected to cravings are positive and may be that it was the coveted lunch box snack of your era (tiny teddies, anyone?) or the weekend ritual of an after sports takeaway lunch and the feelings of inclusion and joy they had. In one session with a client working on a biscuit craving, they had the realisation this craving was connected to memories of being with their grandparent who has now passed. After a round of tapping the client had the cognitive shift around this and stated that 'the connection isn't kept alive through this process (eating biscuits).'
If you are interested in using EFT to reduce or eliminate particular food cravings, to be effective, getting specific is necessary. To simply work on chocolate cravings is too general, working on a particular brand and flavour of chocolate can really reduce or eliminate that craving in an hour session. Working on more general cravings can be done, however it may take a few more sessions. You can book an appointment for a discovery call if you have more questions about using EFT for cravings or if you would like to experience the benefits first hand you can book a session through the online bookings.
