The three types of hunger – and how to stay fuller for longer

Yahoo

5 days ago

For some people, eating a meal keeps them happily satiated until the next one, whereas for others, hunger is a far more complicated business. A couple of hours after eating, they're starving again and trying desperately not to succumb to the lure of the fridge or office vending machine.
But is what they're experiencing really physical hunger, also known as homeostatic hunger, or could it be fuelled by one of the other kinds? There is hedonic hunger – the drive to eat for pleasure, rather than out of a physiological need for energy and, one of the most persuasive, emotional hunger, where food serves as a form of self-soothing when negative feelings arise.
'Physical hunger, when your body needs refuelling, is just one type of hunger, but we don't necessarily talk about the other types as much – although we should, because understanding them can be important for our health,' says Dr Emily Leeming, a microbiome scientist at King's College London, dietician and author of Genius Gut.
Hedonic and emotional hunger are among the main culprits when it comes to weight gain. In fact, a broad new review of existing research found a significant positive link between hedonic hunger and food addiction, defined as symptoms similar to those in drug addiction, including cravings, tolerance and withdrawal effects – as well as to increased calorie intake and weight gain.
So which might you suffer from? Here's a science-backed guide to all three, understanding their triggers and learning how to beat them.
Physical hunger
That empty-stomach feeling, often accompanied by a growling sound, dip in energy and 'hanger' (hungry anger) – caused by cortisol and adrenaline rising as our blood sugars drop – is our body's way of signalling to the brain that we need food.
This drop in blood sugar and insulin levels, a few hours after eating, triggers the stomach to produce ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite. But for some of us, our appetites seem to be in overdrive.
The reasons for this can be complex: some people seem to be less sensitive to the suppression of ghrelin that comes when the stomach encounters food, while for others, their brains could be less sensitive to leptin signals, which tell the brain to stop eating when we're full. For most people, however, focusing on what we eat can make a huge difference in managing our hunger. Eating too many refined white carbohydrates is one of the primary reasons many of us find ourselves reaching for sugary snacks between meals. 'With white or refined carbs, such as white bread, pasta and rice, most of their nutrients and fibre have been lost, so our bodies don't have to work hard to break them down,' says Laura Southern, the founder of London Food Therapy. 'That causes very high blood sugar spikes.'
These trigger an immediate release of insulin, causing blood glucose levels of fall, which then signals the release of hunger hormones to replenish them. Research from King's College London has shown that when blood sugar levels dipped below their baseline, people reported a 9 per cent increase in hunger and ate over 300 calories more that day than others whose blood sugar levels did not dip.
Tips to stop physical hunger pangs
Opting for unrefined carbs, such as oats, barley, rye and quinoa, will help keep blood sugar steady thanks to their higher fibre content.
'Ninety-three per cent of us are not getting the fibre we need, and we have a deficit of 35 to 40 per cent, which is a significant fibre gap,' says Dr Leeming. 'Fibre releases fullness hormones and it's quite bulky, so it gives that sense of fullness and satisfaction. It also feeds our gut microbiome, and there's early evidence that looking after the microbiome could potentially be involved in how tempting we find certain foods.'
She recommends starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast, such as yogurt or eggs, which has been proven to reduce food cravings and snacking later in the day, and adding fibre, such as fruit, vegetables or seeds.
Hedonic, or taste-hunger pangs
It's the smell of the freshly baked croissants we cannot resist on holiday; or that irresistible extra portion of the darkest, ooziest chocolate fondant cake for pudding, followed by the cheese board.
Eating for pleasure is one of our biggest drivers to consume more than we need. Food, quite rightly, is a sensory joy – and we all experience a hankering for the fattier, sugary treats, with temptation and advertising bombarding us from all corners. But for some, these cravings can spiral into persistent 'food noise' – intrusive thoughts about eating – or even develop into full-blown addiction. 'When we eat foods we find particularly appealing, our brain releases dopamine in its reward system,' explains Dr Anne-Laure Le Cunff, a neuroscientist at King's College London and founder of Ness Labs. 'This creates a sense of pleasure and reinforces the behaviour.'
Unlike homeostatic hunger, which we often mistake it for, hedonic hunger, aptly named after Hedone, the Greek goddess of pleasure, has no mechanism to signal when we should stop eating – hence, it's now seen by scientists as one of the biggest causes of obesity.
Tips to stop hedonic hunger pangs
But there are measures we can take to combat these cravings, and they aren't as simple as trying to avoid food for which we have a weakness. Dr Leeming says: 'Cutting out the food we crave won't necessarily solve the craving: one study showed that women who cut out chocolate had more food cravings, and when they did eat chocolate, they ate twice as much.'Instead, she suggests eating the food, but with something else. 'If it's chocolate, have it with some fruit and nuts, which combine protein, fibre and healthy fat, so you'll probably eat less chocolate and it's going to satisfy you more,' she says. Dark chocolate is a better choice, with research suggesting it could have a positive impact on blood sugar levels, reducing cravings for less nutritious foods later.
Maintaining a consistent eating pattern, including meal-times and portion sizes, is key to managing cravings, as a result of what's called the cold-hot empathy gap. In the cold state (meaning you're not starving hungry, and therefore feeling neutral, or 'cold' towards food) you're less likely to overestimate how hungry you'll be and overindulge – so this is the state to be in when you're planning meals. Getting enough sleep is also vital: research shows that just one night of poor sleep can significantly boost your ghrelin levels, making you snack more the next day. Eating spicy foods can help beat cravings, too. Capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers spicy, can suppress appetite and increase satiety. And don't skip bitter vegetables, such as dark leafy greens, since studies have shown they can trigger the release of appetite-control hormones in the gut and reduce our desire for sweet foods.
Emotional hunger
Research published last year by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles in America found that women who perceive themselves to be lonely showed more brain activity in areas associated with food cravings, especially when shown pictures of high-calorie or sugary foods. The dopamine hit we experience when we eat these foods 'essentially teaches our brain that eating makes us feel better,' says Dr Le Cunff. For many people, this link between food and comfort is strong and dates way back to our childhoods. 'Over time, our brains learn to link eating with emotional relief,' says Dr Le Cunff. So when we're struggling emotionally, we're hard-wired to seek this kind of comfort, she explains. 'When we're stressed or feeling low, our brain's emotion centre, the amygdala, becomes more active and interacts with areas that control both hunger and reward-seeking behaviour.'Unfortunately, this can create unhealthy patterns, seeing us reach for food as comfort every time we experience negative emotions, then feeling guilty and ashamed – which can lead to yet more bingeing.
Recognising that emotional eating is a normal part of life is important, Dr Leeming advises: 'Don't beat yourself up – think about the bigger picture of what you're eating in a week.'
How to stop emotional hunger pangs
Taking note of the feelings which lead to unhealthy eating can help identify your triggers, which is the first step in breaking the pattern. Next time you experience one, Dr Le Cunff says: 'Many other activities can activate similar reward pathways, in healthier ways, and these alternatives can help us regulate our emotions without relying on food.'Try contacting a friend – even a text message can provide the social connection that increases bonding hormones such as oxytocin. Or go for a walk or dance around the kitchen to uplifting music. As little as 10 minutes in Zone Two, where your heart rate is around 125-140 BPM and you can talk but not hold a proper conversation, can increase dopamine levels. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing can help us cope with stress, as can creative pursuits such as painting, writing, or gardening – and they can all act as a diversionary tactic to take our mind off the craving until it passes.
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