# Cravings, explained

> Why chocolate calls your name before your period

Category: Nutrition · 3 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026
URL: https://splash.care/learn/nutrition/cravings

## Quick answer

- Appetite changes and cravings before your period are a common PMS symptom.
- Eating a bit more in the second half of the cycle is normal on average.
- Regular meals and treats you enjoy help; strict bans do not.
- Worries about food are worth talking to a GP about.

If you find yourself face-first in a family bag of crisps [the week before your period](https://splash.care/learn/phases/luteal), you are in very good company. The NHS lists changes in appetite and food cravings as common [PMS](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/pms) symptoms. You are not weak-willed. Your [hormones](https://splash.care/learn/cycle-basics/hormones-explained) are doing hormone things.

## Why it happens

The NHS says it is not fully understood why [PMS](https://splash.care/learn/conditions/pms) happens, but it may be down to changes in hormone levels across the cycle. A 2025 review of 15 datasets found people eat a bit more in the second half of the cycle on average. Lower mood, tiredness and [stress](https://splash.care/learn/cycle-basics/stress-travel-illness) can also make comfort food extra appealing.

**Myth:** Cravings mean your body is lacking something.

**Fact:** There is no good evidence that a craving means you are short of a particular nutrient. Cravings are a recognised PMS symptom, and hormones, mood, tiredness and habit all seem to play a part.

## Working with cravings, not against them

- Eat regularly. The NHS says some people with PMS do better with smaller meals every 2 to 3 hours.
- Build meals around [Fibre](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/fibre) and protein. Fibre can help you feel full for longer, though no one has proved it stops PMS cravings.
- Have the chocolate. A few squares you enjoy beat a whole bar eaten out of guilt.
- Get enough [sleep](https://splash.care/learn/movement-sleep/sleep-cycle) where you can, since tiredness can fuel snacking.
- Keep satisfying snacks handy: fruit and yoghurt, toast with nut butter, popcorn.

> **Splash says:** no food is "bad". Track when your cravings peak, and plan a cosy treat for those days instead of fighting yourself.

**Quick quiz:** What does the NHS suggest for eating with PMS?

1. Skip meals so cravings have less to work with
2. A balanced diet, with smaller meals more often if that suits you
3. Ban all sweet foods

Answer: A balanced diet, with smaller meals more often if that suits you. The NHS advice is a balanced diet, and it says some people find smaller meals every 2 to 3 hours better. Skipping meals or banning foods is not part of it.

### When to see a doctor

If eating feels out of control, you feel very anxious or guilty about food, or you are restricting, bingeing or making yourself sick, please talk to a GP or call the Beat helpline (England: 0808 801 0677). If PMS seriously affects your mood or daily life, see a GP too, because severe PMS (including PMDD) is treatable.

## Sources

1. [NHS: PMS (premenstrual syndrome)](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pre-menstrual-syndrome/)
2. [Tucker et al. (2025) The effect of the menstrual cycle on energy intake: systematic review and meta-analysis, Nutrition Reviews](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11819481/)
3. [NHS: Starchy foods and carbohydrates](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/starchy-foods-and-carbohydrates/)
4. [NHS: How to get more fibre into your diet](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/)
5. [Beat: I need support now (eating disorder helpline)](https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/support-now/)

This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).