Why is it that it takes few seconds for our body to decide that it’s had enough water not to be thirsty, but several minutes to recognize that no more food is needed cuz it’s not hungry?
In: Biology
Ugh I’m exhibit A, I just ate too much corned beef because I thought I was hungry again after dinner but I should have just drank some water and went to bed.
People who are aware of how their own bodies actually feel can normally tell when they’re not hungry anymore really quickly or even when they feel they’re getting full. I’ve never thought, “damn I overate, I should’ve just stopped 5 minutes ago”… I can normally very easily tell when I am going to be full soon. I eat because I’m hungry and because I have to, not because I want to finish a whole dish or because it tastes good.
Biochemist here with speciality in hormones. When you are hungry your gut releases a hormone known as ghrelin which signals that it’s time to eat. When you start eating, leptin, a hormone that is produced by fat, checks your fat supply and if it is sufficient (so that you don’t die of starvation), is released from your fat cells to act on your brain to tell you to stop eating and to induce a feeling of being full. This usually takes around 20 minutes for it to enter the bloodstream and act on your brain. So I always advise people if they want to have seconds, wait 20 minutes, and if you are still hungry after then you good to go, otherwise you may just overeat. Leptin not functioning properly is linked to diseases such as type 2 diabetes etc. so it’s a pretty important hormone. Hope that helps!
Wait, what? If I feel “not hungry” after eating food just like “not thirsty” after drinking water.
Mine work the same way. I know immediately when I’ve eaten enough. Never understood how anyone can be unaware of this.
It’s not true.
Have you never taken a bite of food and then though, “OK that’s it I’m full”? That’s it, it happens instantly.
I think the confusing factor is that water isn’t “delicious” while food can be, also water doesn’t come in portions while food does, and so we can easily decide to eat more food because it’s yummy or because it’s on the plate, so we wind up eating more than we needed to feel full.
And I think a lot of people have learned to just completely ignore their internal feeling of fullness, because their parents insisted “finish your plate!” or that last chicken wing just looks really good or whatever.
But if you pay attention, your body tells you *exactly* when you’re full, to the bite, at the moment. Just like water.
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