Feeling hungry: am I hungry or hungry?

Feeling hungry
Am I hungry or hungry?

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Not every appetite we feel means it honestly to us. Sometimes he wants to seduce us – even though the body doesn't need anything at the moment. Good to know its shapes.

compiled by Marlene Kohring

Stomach hunger

The honest one

Hunger is real when it feels like a hole in the stomach. You can trust this feeling; it occurs when the stomach empties, then the stomach walls move, which can be heard as a growling sound. However, there is not always an empty stomach behind it. Sometimes the feeling of hunger in the stomach also arises when the blood sugar level drops below a critical value or when hormones are involved. There are people who feel hungry again shortly after they have eaten a lot. You can get an explanation for this if you understand how the feeling of satiety works. Receptors on the stomach wall pass on information about stretching and filling level to the brain so that the feeling of being full can be activated. But receptors in the intestines and liver are also involved. They measure the nutritional content of the meal and report this to the brain. If there are not enough nutrients in the food, stomach hunger is triggered again …

Nasal hunger

The smell seducer

A little taster course on nasal hunger: when the smell of freshly baked cookies or the smell of grilled sausage drifts across, you want to eat right away. This is because the wonderful aromas stimulate our sense of smell and trigger a "I have an appetite for it now" feeling. Of course, this is not really physical hunger, but it still influences our eating behavior – but not as much as our hunger for eyes.

Mouth hunger

The sparkling one

This type of hunger results in the fact that we eat foods that have a special consistency. For example the piece of chocolate that literally melts on the tongue; the biscuit that crisps so nicely and the fizzy candy because it tingles wonderfully. Mouth hunger is weaker than eye hunger, but still entices us to eat, even if it is not physically necessary.

Hunger for the eyes

The eye deceiver

Optical stimuli trigger him. For example, when we walk past a lavish bakery display and want to become a cookie monster right away. Or when we see a poster with a juicy burger that makes us want some meat. But you can't see right through it in every situation. Because he also has unconscious power over our actions. For example, when we see an advertisement for chips on TV and then later go to the pantry, take them out and snack on them on the side. One should not underestimate it, because it is stronger than the hunger for the stomach.

Heart thirst

The psycho trickster

The best-known example of hunger for the heart is probably frustration eating. If you are in a bad mood, you grab the Nutella glass and a large spoon or choose your favorite dishes that will definitely cheer you up. And eating actually makes us feel good – through the release of messenger substances in the brain. Many people therefore think that problems can simply be fed away, but – of course – they are not a bit smaller after the piece of strawberry cream. Incidentally, hunger for the heart can also be linked to positive emotions. For example, when you prepare a plate of homemade pasta to wake up fond memories of your last vacation in Italy.

Would you like to read more about the topic and exchange ideas with other women? Then take a look at the "Food – Enjoyment or Frustration Forum" BRIGITTE community past!

BRIGITTE life! 01/2021