How Emotions Affect Digestion: The Hidden Link Between Stress, Guilt, and Weight Gain

A psychological and physiological study found that emotions influence the body’s ability to digest and absorb fat from food. This implies that the way you feel about the bite you’re taking, can impact your metabolism, weight gain, and overall health.

Think back to all those times you ordered dessert at a restaurant or indulged in another slice of cake- did you feel guilty afterward? It turns out that a positive emotional response to food actually helps your body better absorb its nutrients. This is because emotions like excitement stimulate your digestive system- from salivary glands to the intestines- making calorie burning more efficient.

What happens during emotional eating, when we consume food while feeling guilt or other negative emotions? Guilt, like other negative feelings, triggers a stress response. Stress causes the release of the hormone cortisol, which elevates heart rate and blood pressure. This increased cardiac activity reduces blood flow to the digestive system, limiting the oxygen supply to the intestines and slowing down digestion.

When food reaches the intestines, the nervous system sends signals to the digestive muscles to break it down and extract essential nutrients. At the same time, neurotransmitters like serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone) and cortisol are released. When cortisol levels are high, the digestive process is disrupted, reducing nutrient absorption and potentially leading to symptoms like bloating, stomach pain, and even signs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Another downside of poor digestion is its impact on the gut microbiome. With decreased blood and oxygen supply, beneficial gut bacteria that aid digestion and nutrient absorption, struggle to thrive.

Even more concerning is that high cortisol levels increase fat storage, especially around the abdomen. This type of belly fat is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Cortisol also disrupts blood sugar levels, causing spikes in insulin production- a pattern associated with long-term metabolic risks.

Interestingly, all these effects are more common in women than in men.

Tips to Combat Emotional Eating and Support Healthy Digestion:

• Eat slowly. Take time to experience the flavor, aroma, and texture of food.

• Be aware of your emotional state. Ask yourself how you feel about what you’re eating.

• Differentiate between hunger and boredom. Many people eat simply because they’re bored or anxious, but not because they’re truly hungry.

• Honor your cravings. If you’re craving bread, pasta, or meat, it could be your body’s way of signaling a nutritional need. Choose to satisfy those cravings consciously and without guilt.

• Learn to recognize fullness. Your body sends clear signals when it’s had enough and listening to them can help avoid overeating and prevent guilt-driven eating cycles.

• Practice mindful eating. Eat without distractions (like your phone). Use all your senses to engage with the food.

• Be kind to yourself. Emotional eating is common. Practice self-compassion instead of self-judgment.

• Reduce stress proactively. Take walks, practice breathing exercises, try meditation or guided imagery to help exit stress loops.

• Diaphragmatic breathing not only reduces stress but also improves blood flow to the digestive organs.

Orly Samira is a psychotherapist and CBT practitioner.