hedonic eating

Hedonic eating refers to consuming food primarily for pleasure, taste, or emotional reward, rather than to satisfy physical hunger. It involves the brain's reward system, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine, which reinforce eating behavior. This type of eating often occurs with highly palatable foods such as sweets and fast foods, and can lead to overeating even when you're not physically hungry. While normal eating includes pleasure, hedonic eating highlights how emotions and sensory enjoyment can drive food choices, sometimes contributing to weight gain or unhealthy eating patterns if it becomes a frequent habit.