Can Certain Foods Hijack Our Appetite?

By: Stephen Anton

Every time we eat, our digestive and metabolic systems communicate with our brain when to stop eating. This mechanism, called satiety, is critical for our survival: without it, we could eat until our stomach bursts.

In contrast to this homeostatic system, our hedonic system allows us to consume large amounts of food just because they are available and taste great. This also makes evolutionary sense: if our ancestors ever encountered calorie-dense foods, even if not hungry, the body would not want us to pass up this opportunity to stock up on nutrients. Thus, consuming more than was needed for satiety could represent a hedge against times of scarcity.

This strategy may have been effective for our ancestors but in today’s day and age, we are surrounded by good tasting, high calorie foods and not likely to experience scarcity.

So how can we turn the tables?
First, we need to recognize that foods high in sugar and fat could hijack our appetites and undermine our body’s better judgment. These hyperpalatable foods, which are typically high in sugar and fat, such as donuts, cakes, cookies, seem to have the ability to override our homeostatic system and allows our hedonic drive to be in full control.

To keep our temptation levels down, it’s good to consume nutrients that promote high levels of satiety, such as protein, fat, and fiber at each meal. Regular movement throughout the day coupled with good quality sleep can also keep our levels of temptation down.