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Harvard Doctor Reveals Why You Have Cravings and How to Stop Them | The Mel Robbins Podcast

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — Why do you always crave dessert after dinner? Or a snack mid-afternoon? Today we’re digging into the science of cravings: - Why you have them - How to tell the difference between a craving and actual hunger - How to eat your way to better health and a happier life. Dr. Amy Shah (@dr.confidentialwithdr.amys7371) is a double-board certified medical doctor with training from Cornell, Harvard, and Columbia Universities and an expert on intermittent fasting, hormones, and food cravings. In today’s episode, you will learn: - When to drink coffee in the morning so you stay energized all day - How cravings relate to dopamine and how to curb them so they never come back - Why your sugar cravings are so strong and how to stop them - The truth about probiotics and which ones your body needs right now - What ghrelin and leptin are and why they are the secrets to a healthy metabolism - The shocking research that compares antidepressants to food and exercise - How to stop overeating Our bodies are complicated, but your health doesn’t have to be. Let Dr. Amy empower you to live a more vibrant, fulfilled, and energized life. You will also learn: 00:00 Intro 03:31 So what’s the difference between hunger and cravings? 07:27 Many of our poor food choices are not our fault. 19:34 So how do we fix our eating habits if we’re not always in control? 22:39 Food and exercise are more effective than drugs for anxiety and depression?! 25:01 So what are some of the foods that will boost natural hormones? 29:58 Drinking enough water during the day makes you eat less. 39:22 Here’s what food companies know about dopamine. 41:31 Do this when you want to stop overeating. 45:45 Why does dopamine work better when you reward yourself at random times? 49:23 Here’s how your gut and your brain talk to each other and what that means. 51:48 What exactly is the relationship between food and bacteria? 58:55 The #1 probiotic that you should be adding to your days. 01:02:39 How the hell do you get rid of your sugar cravings? 1:10:55 Do you get enough sleep? Here’s why that matters. 1:14:36 Why you should wait 45 minutes before you drink your coffee. 1:18:04 This is what Dr. Amy thinks about intermittent fasting and how she does it. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Mel RobbinshostDr. Amy Shahguest
Jun 21, 20231h 25mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Harvard-trained doctor explains cravings, dopamine, and food–mood connection

  1. Mel Robbins interviews Dr. Amy Shah about the science of hunger, appetite, and cravings, and why many of our eating patterns are driven less by willpower and more by brain chemistry and gut health.
  2. They distinguish true biological hunger from dopamine-driven cravings, explain how ultra-processed foods hijack the brain’s reward system, and show how this contributes to anxiety, depression, and constant snacking.
  3. Dr. Shah details how gut bacteria, inflammation, hormones, sleep, and circadian rhythms interact to shape mood and appetite, arguing that food and lifestyle changes can be more effective than medication alone for many mental health issues.
  4. The conversation ends with practical strategies—what and when to eat, how to rewire cravings in a few weeks, and how to improve mood by targeting dopamine, serotonin, and the gut microbiome.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Separate real hunger from cravings using simple internal tests.

Hunger is a biological need for nutrients (ghrelin-driven), cravings are dopamine-driven desires often appearing when you’re already full. A quick check: if you wouldn’t eat a bowl of vegetables, you’re likely not truly hungry.

Ultra-processed foods hijack your dopamine system and fuel addiction-like cycles.

Foods you couldn’t recreate in a kitchen (e.g., candy bars, chips, sodas) pack sugar and additives without fiber or nutrients, causing huge dopamine spikes followed by crashes, irritability, and powerful urges to eat more.

Improving diet and movement can outperform medication alone for depression.

A South Australian study found that changing diet, sleep, and exercise was about 1.5 times more effective for depression than the usual combination of meds and therapy, underscoring that “food creates mood” and should be first-line care.

You can rewire a sweet tooth in weeks by replacing—not just removing—rewards.

Dr. Shah’s “3‑2‑1” method uses intermittent, planned rewards with a healthier substitute (e.g., dark chocolate instead of a candy bar), paired with savoring and positive self-talk, to build a new dopamine pathway and weaken the old one.

Target dopamine in the morning and serotonin at night with specific foods.

High-tyrosine, protein-rich foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, soy, nuts, and dairy can boost dopamine and alertness earlier in the day, while tryptophan plus complex carbs (e.g., eggs or fish with sweet potato or quinoa) support serotonin, calm, and sleep in the evening.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Food creates mood.

— Dr. Amy Shah

When you eat something that you badly crave, it's pleasure mixed with pain.

— Dr. Amy Shah

We live in a world where you could actually deplete your dopamine and you'll feel exhausted.

— Dr. Amy Shah

There is no pill that's gonna save you. There is no person that's gonna save you. You are gonna be the one who saves yourself.

— Dr. Amy Shah

If you wouldn't eat a bowl of vegetables right now, you're not hungry.

— Dr. Amy Shah

Difference between hunger, appetite, and cravingsDopamine, ultra-processed foods, and the craving cycleGut–brain axis, microbiome, and mental health (psychobiotics)Hormones that regulate fullness and hunger (ghrelin, leptin, GLP‑1)Impact of sleep, circadian rhythm, and light on appetite and moodFood-based strategies to boost dopamine and serotonin naturallyPractical habit changes to reduce sugar cravings and emotional eating

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