Cravings feel powerful, frustrating, and often completely out of your control.

But what if most cravings aren’t random at all?

In this first episode of The Nutrition Couch for 2026, Leanne and Susie unpack what’s really driving cravings, why willpower is not the problem, and how simple changes to your day can make a huge difference.

They also break down new research linking diet quality to better sleep, review a popular lower-calorie ice cream, and tackle a listener question on why low-carb wraps aren’t the health food they’re marketed to be.

In this episode, you’ll learn:


Why blood sugar dips are one of the biggest hidden drivers of sugar cravings


How restricting carbs earlier in the day often backfires by 4pm


The difference between true cravings and habit-based or emotional eating


Why after-dinner cravings are often learned, not physiological


How stress, fatigue, boredom and “reward eating” can disguise themselves as hunger


A simple way to interrupt cravings without relying on willpower


New research showing higher fruit, vegetable and whole-grain intake is linked to better sleep quality that same night


Whether lower-calorie ice creams are worth it nutritionally


Why low-carb wraps are more processed than many people realise, and what to choose instead

Subscribe so you don’t miss a Wednesday episode, and send your listener questions or word of the year via Instagram.

Cravings feel powerful, frustrating, and often completely out of your control.
But what if most cravings aren&rsquo;t random at all?
In this first episode of The Nutrition Couch for 2026, Leanne and Susie unpack what&rsquo;s really driving cravings, why willpower is not the problem, and how simple changes to your day can make a huge difference.
They also break down new research linking diet quality to better sleep, review a popular lower-calorie ice cream, and tackle a listener question on why low-carb wraps aren&rsquo;t the health food they&rsquo;re marketed to be.
In this episode, you&rsquo;ll learn:
<ul>
<li>
Why blood sugar dips are one of the biggest hidden drivers of sugar cravings
</li>
<li>
How restricting carbs earlier in the day often backfires by 4pm
</li>
<li>
The difference between true cravings and habit-based or emotional eating
</li>
<li>
Why after-dinner cravings are often learned, not physiological
</li>
<li>
How stress, fatigue, boredom and &ldquo;reward eating&rdquo; can disguise themselves as hunger
</li>
<li>
A simple way to interrupt cravings without relying on willpower
</li>
<li>
New research showing higher fruit, vegetable and whole-grain intake is linked to better sleep quality that same night
</li>
<li>
Whether lower-calorie ice creams are worth it nutritionally
</li>
<li>
Why low-carb wraps are more processed than many people realise, and what to choose instead
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe so you don&rsquo;t miss a Wednesday episode, and send your listener questions or word of the year via Instagram.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.

Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.
Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

The Nutrition Couch

Welcome to The Nutrition Couch, a weekly podcast from two of Australia’s leading dietitians & nutritionists, Susie Burrell & Leanne Ward. This is the first nutrition podcast that looks at weekly food & health trends. Every Sunday at 7am AEST, we will be uploading an episode that covers nutrition news, trending food products, case studies and we will also be answering our listener questions. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and follow us on social media @the_nutrition_couch_podcast to ask us questions & see our food product reviews.

Why do cravings hit so hard? Dietitians Susie Burrell and Leanne Ward explain how blood sugar, habits and emotions drive cravings, share new research linking diet quality to better sleep, and unpack the truth about low-carb wraps and lower-calorie ice creams.

Why Your Cravings Aren’t Random (Blood Sugar, Emotions, Sleep + Low-Carb Wrap Myths)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/e4e94431-b9f0-49da-ae2d-b3d100abad06/transcript