Many people describe the same experience: “I’m not even hungry — I just want something .” It’s easy to label that as emotional eating or lack of willpower. But biologically, there are two very different signals that can feel identical. One is a dopamine-driven craving  — the brain looking for stimulation, novelty, or relief from stress. The other is true under-fueling  — not enough energy, protein, or nutrients to meet demand. A Common Scenario I See Someone eats “clean” all