Types of hunger: do you know what they are?
When we feel hungry, we usually think that it is simply a signal from the body to ask us for food. But the reality is much more complex: did you know that there are different types of hunger? Each one with its own causes and characteristics. And food is not always the solution. That's why, Understanding them will help you make more conscious decisions about your diet. and to enjoy gastronomy without guilt or excess.
What is hunger?
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in the strict sense, hunger refers to “a uncomfortable or painful physical sensation caused by insufficient dietary energy intake"That is, it is a physiological response that indicates the need to eat food to obtain energy and nutrients. However, we do not always eat because we really need it to live, right? Hence the Royal Spanish Academy define it as “want or need to eat”, including other types of hunger not linked to a vital need.
What are the 5 types of hunger?
In this way, experts have classified hunger into different categories. What are the 5 types of hunger?
· Physiological. It is the biological need to eat food, what we could describe as authentic hunger. It manifests itself with signs such as stomach growling, fatigue or lack of concentration. The best way to satisfy it is with balanced, nutrient-rich meals.
· Hormonal. Hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, regulate feelings of hunger and satiety, respectively. Factors such as stress or lack of sleep can alter them, leading you to overeat or not feel hungry at all. The same occurs in stages of hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or menopause, where it is normal to feel more hungry.
· Emotional. Many times you surely eat to manage stress, anxiety, boredom or sadness, or simply out of routine, like having churros with chocolate on Sunday mornings. Furthermore, this type of hunger drives you to look for foods rich in sugars and fats that release dopamine and generate sensations of pleasure and temporary well-being. That's why, when you've had a bad day at work, you don't buy broccoli, but pizza.
· Environmental. The environment influences your diet more than you think and there are many environmental factors that can trigger your desire to eat. In fact, Jan Chozen, in his book Eat attentively, talks about visual, olfactory, auditory and oral types of hunger. It is, for example, that you feel like eating cotton candy when walking through the fair, wanting a piece of bread after passing in front of a bakery, wanting some pipes just to hear how they crunch, or not being able to resist a slice of watermelon to enjoy its refreshing texture. And it doesn't matter if you ate copiously just before.
· Voracious. This is what Dr. Marián García, author of Your brain is hungry, called 'Dragon Khan'. It occurs due to the ups and downs of blood glucose levels, quickly generating a voracious appetite that leads you to eat large amounts of food in a short time, without really enjoying it.
How to act according to the type of hunger you have?
As a consequence, to maintain a healthy relationship with food, it is key Identify types of hunger and respond appropriately to each one of them. What can you do to follow a healthy diet?
· Detect the origin. Ask yourself if you are hungry-hunger or is it an appetite of another kind. It can help you see if the desire to eat appears gradually or suddenly or evaluate if you would eat anything or if your body only asks for sweet or ultra-processed foods.
· Look for distractions. Many times these non-physiological cravings only last a few minutes. Therefore, getting up for a walk, talking to someone or having a glass of water are tricks that can calm that impulse.
· Opt for healthy alternatives. If you can't resist, try to eat healthier alternatives and foods with greater satiating power. For example, if your body asks for sweets, try a ounce of chocolate black instead of a piece of pastry.
· Take care of the routines. Eating on time, sleeping well, exercising and following a balanced diet will help ensure that the types of hunger you feel are, in most cases, physiological.
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