What You’ll Learn

• What “food noise” means and how it differs from hunger or cravings

• The most common reasons food noise appears

• How blood sugar levels, food quality, and meal structure influence constant thoughts about eating

• How balanced nutrition and lifestyle habits help quiet the chatter

• How just better.® fiber supports calmer appetite signals 

6 Things a Dietitian Wants You to Know About Food Noise

Food noise has become one of the most searched nutrition phrases of the year. People describe it as intrusive thoughts about food that pop up throughout the day, often when they’re not physically hungry.

Kristin Hirano, registered dietitian and founder of JUST BETTER BRANDS, explains that food noise reflects real physiological cues, not imagined urges or a lack of discipline. 

These cues travel through the gut–brain axis and are shaped by blood sugar levels, hormones, stress, and what we eat. Once we understand those patterns, food noise becomes easier to recognize and address through clear, practical steps.

In this week’s Ask a Dietitian series, we focus on the most common questions people ask about food noise and the nutrition strategies that support a proactive relationship with hunger signals. 

1. What is food noise, and how is it different from hunger or cravings?

Food noise refers to ongoing, repetitive thoughts about food that don’t match the body’s actual energy needs. It often shows up as mental chatter, a steady pull toward snacking, or persistent thoughts about eating even after a meal.

Hunger develops gradually and includes physical cues such as stomach sensations, lower energy, and shakiness. Cravings tend to be more specific and centered on a particular taste or food.

Food noise operates on a different track. It can appear even when the body has enough fuel. Researchers point to the gut–brain axis - the communication pathway between the digestive system and the brain - as one of the systems involved. 

When appetite-related signals repeat more often than needed, the brain stays alert for quick energy and keeps food in focus. 

2. Why am I experiencing food noise?

Food noise often reflects shifts in the body’s appetite signals. Several factors influence the messages sent between the gut, brain, and appetite hormones:

Hunger and fullness hormones

Ghrelin rises before meals, leptin communicates fullness, and insulin helps maintain stable energy use. When these signals fluctuate more than expected, the brain stays alert for food and creates more mental chatter around eating.

Stress and cortisol

Cortisol heightens alertness, and elevated levels can increase appetite signaling and make food cues feel louder.

Sleep disruption

Short or interrupted sleep alters patterns of ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol. These shifts increase appetite signaling and create more persistent food thoughts.

Life stage and rhythm changes

Adjustments in daily routine, energy expenditure, or metabolism can influence hunger hormones as the body works to understand new patterns.

Long gaps between balanced meals

Extended periods without steady fuel make ghrelin rise more sharply and create uncertainty about when and where energy will arrive next.

Food noise often appears when the brain is trying to re-establish predictable appetite signaling.

3. How do food quality and meal structure influence food noise?

The types of foods we choose and how meals are built shape how long fuel lasts and how calmly appetite hormones respond.

Spikes and crashes in blood sugar

Fast-digesting sugars and refined carbohydrates can create rapid spikes in insulin, followed by quick drops in blood sugar. The drop can show up as an urgent mental pull toward food.

Ultra-processed foods

Manufacturers engineer these products to be intensely flavorful, fast-digesting, and highly rewarding to the brain. This combination is known to amplify food cues, shorten fullness signals, and increase the urge to keep eating. Many people notice their food noise increase after eating these foods because the body receives quick energy without the nutrients that help appetite hormones stay balanced. 

Meals low in protein, fat, or fiber

When a meal lacks these foundational components, digestion moves quickly, and the gut releases fewer satiety signals like GLP-1 and PYY. This creates a short window of fullness and leaves appetite hormones more active than the body expects. The brain registers this as an ongoing search for fuel, which often shows up as persistent food thoughts or grazing urges.

Irregular meal timing

Significant gaps or unpredictable spacing between meals can unsettle the body’s appetite patterns, leaving the brain unsure when the next source of energy will arrive. This uncertainty often heightens food cues and makes food noise more noticeable.

When meals provide fuel that lasts, appetite hormones communicate more consistently and lower the volume of food noise. 

4. How does fiber influence appetite signals? 

Fiber influences several appetite-related signals that help reduce the mental pull toward food. Meals that contain fiber stay in the stomach longer, which supports satiety signals and gives the brain a clearer sense of “meal satisfaction.” This helps reduce the instinct to graze or snack soon after eating.

Fiber also gives meals more structure. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds provide volume and steady digestion, which helps people move comfortably from one meal to the next without the constant hum of food-related thoughts.  Additionally, fiber coats the inside lining of the digestive tract and slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This stabilizes blood sugar levels and quiets food-related noise caused by blood sugar crashes. 

In the gut, fiber nourishes microbes that produce short-chain fatty acids. These compounds participate in appetite signaling along the gut–brain axis, helping hunger cues feel more balanced and less reactive. 

5. Can just better.® prebiotic fiber help quiet food noise? 

Yes. just better.® prebiotic fiber supports several appetite-related processes when taken with meals and snacks.

Soluble prebiotic fiber slows the movement of sugars and starches through the digestive system. This slows the rate at which blood sugar shifts, helping curb the urgency of food cravings.

It also supports fullness-related signals such as GLP-1, PYY, and CCK. When digestion moves at a measured pace, these cues have more time to register, and the mental pull toward quick snacks tends to ease.

In the large intestine, prebiotic fiber is fermented by beneficial bacteria. This fermentation supports communication along the gut–brain axis, which plays a part in how cravings and hunger are perceived.

Two tablespoons (or two stick packs) of just better.® stirred into a meal or beverage and taken with or just before a meal provide soluble prebiotic fiber at the moment it can be most helpful for supporting calm, consistent appetite signals.

6. What can I do to quiet food noise in a balanced, sustainable way?

Build balanced meals.

Pair carbohydrates with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to support steady digestion and reduce the sharp rises and drops in blood sugar that can turn up food noise. Like Kristin says… “NO NAKED CARBS!”

Reach your daily fiber intake.

Aiming for at least 30 grams of fiber each day helps regulate appetite signals. just better.® prebiotic fiber provides a simple way to close the fiber gap—each tablespoon delivers 5 grams.

Stay hydrated.

Adequate hydration supports digestion, appetite signaling, and overall metabolic function. Water helps the body process nutrients more efficiently, especially when paired with a fiber-rich diet.

Create a meal timing that works for your body.

A predictable eating pattern helps the gut–brain axis settle into consistent hunger and fullness cues. Some people prefer three meals, others feel well with meals plus a snack.

Aim for protein throughout the day.

Protein supports longer-lasting satiety, steadier energy, and fewer grazing impulses.  Make sure to include protein with EVERY meal or snack!

Prioritize high-quality sleep.

Consistent rest supports healthier ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol patterns, helping appetite cues feel more grounded the next day.

Support stress regulation.

Chronic stress elevates cortisol and can intensify appetite signaling. Gentle actions like mindful breathing, walking, or taking short breaks help restore calm to the gut–brain connection.

These practices help create a predictable internal environment for appetite hormones and gradually reduce the intensity of food noise.

Closing Thoughts

Food noise can feel frustrating, but it has clear origins in appetite hormones, stress patterns, sleep quality, and the structure of daily meals. 

By supporting balanced blood sugar levels, nourishing the gut–brain axis, and adding just better.® at every meal and snack, most people experience a noticeable reduction in the constant internal chatter around food.