Зміст
What is hunger?
Hunger, or cravings, is a physiological sensation that occurs when the body is deficient in nutrients and needs to replenish energy. Then the center of hunger in the hypothalamus signals the need to feed the body, and when reserves are replenished, the center of satiety sends a signal to stop eating. When you feel hungry, it is a sign that your digestive system has enough digestive enzymes ready to process and distribute new nutrients to your cells.
What is appetite?
On the other hand, appetite is the psychological urge to eat, the so-called desire or taste for something. It appears not only when we do not have enough food, but also for other reasons. We often feel this along with strong emotions such as stress, sadness, or regret. Then it is called emotional hunger. Increased appetite can also be associated with poor lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough sleep, eating irregularly, or having too few calories. It also sometimes appears when we are bored or have nothing to do or focus on. When we need a specific product, it may be due to a lack of a specific ingredient. An increased appetite can make it very difficult to lose weight, because it is not easy to deal with snacks and sweets. And the extra calories are stored as fat.
How to distinguish hunger from appetite?
Appetite is often confused with hunger, but it is not associated with any physiological mechanisms, it just sits in the head. However, distinguishing between the two is not easy. As a result, we can eat more food when we really do not need it, and this is a shortcut to overweight and obesity. However, there are some characteristics by which we can determine whether we are hungry or have an appetite.
Hunger usually appears 2–3 hours after eating and gradually increases. It can be felt for a long time without the need to immediately satisfy it, but when we satisfy it, we feel satisfaction and contentment. Feelings of hunger are also accompanied by physical symptoms such as rumbling in the stomach, tremors, cancer, or headaches. These symptoms disappear after eating.
On the other hand, appetite comes on suddenly, regardless of whether we ate three hours or 10 minutes ago. We usually need to quickly quench our cravings, but the appetite may not go away despite feeling full. Appetite is also usually associated with a specific food, such as salty, sweet, or fatty. It often appears under the influence of the smell of a particular dish, when we hear someone talking about food, or when we see someone eating. After eating and satisfying our appetite, we also often feel remorse.
How to reduce appetite and hunger?
If you often feel hungry or hungry and find it difficult to control it, you should change some eating habits. First, it is important to understand why we are hungry. We may not be getting enough calories throughout the day, or we may be eating very irregularly. Wolf hunger can also catch us after eating too much sugar and refined carbs. They cause a sudden surge of insulin, which in turn causes a sudden drop in blood glucose levels and makes you feel hungry again. Appetite and hunger can also be reduced by choosing the right foods to ensure you feel fuller for longer. These include dietary fiber, inulin, pectin, protein, and water. How to deal with them with excessive appetite?
Eat many vegetables
One way to reduce hunger and appetite is to eat vegetables. They are low in calories but high in fiber. This, in turn, leads to bloating and long-lasting satiety. It is recommended to consume 20-40 g of fiber per day. Therefore, there are many vegetables, raw, boiled or steamed.
Eat fruit instead of sweets
Fruits are also rich in fiber, although they are slightly higher in calories than vegetables. We should eat them in smaller amounts, but it is worth reaching for them, especially when we crave something sweet, like cookies, candy, or chocolate. It is also worth choosing those fruits that have a low glycemic index, so that they stay full longer. These include, among others, strawberries, plums, gooseberries, grapefruit, and apples.
Eat Protein-Rich Foods
Protein helps reduce the secretion of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. This allows us to feel fuller after eating a protein-rich meal. In addition, this component reduces the signals responsible for emotional overeating, that is, those that arise because of psychological need and learned mechanisms. Fish, eggs, legumes, seeds, and nuts are good sources of protein.
To drink a lot of water
Water can also quench appetite and hunger. Adequate hydration helps control appetite, as we often gravitate to food when we are actually dehydrated and not hungry. If we feel hungry, first drink a glass of water and wait about a dozen minutes. Only then should we check if we are starving. Therefore, it is worth having water with you at all times in order to use it regularly. You should drink at least two liters of fluid a day.
