How are hunger and appetite different?

Hunger is a basic, stomach-rumbling need for food that we notice about four hours after our last meal.  It occurs when our stomachs are empty and levels of sugar in our blood begin to dip, and is the main signal that we should listen to when it comes to deciding when to eat our next meal.

Appetite, on the other hand, is the desire to eat, which is driven more by the look, smell, and taste of foods than by physical hunger.  For instance, the smell of coffee and freshly baked bread can trigger appetite, or a photograph of a lip-smackingly delicious cream cake can make us suddenly desire a slice, even if we're not hungry. Equally, our mood can affect appetite, too, with many of us turning to the food we associate with being comforting when feeling blue, stressed, cold or even bored.


Understanding the difference between hunger and appetite is vital if we are to help ourselves to control what, when and the amount we eat.  If we can eat in a way that delays the time that true hunger kicks in, it's easier to control our appetite and therefore to eat less.

It seems that understanding hunger and appetite can also cut our risk of heart disease.  According to researchers at a university in the US, it's not just what you eat, but how to eat and your attitude towards food and meal times that affect your risk of heart disease.  They discovered that those people who were not in tune with having a real sense of hunger did not understand the difference between hunger and appetite.  They often did not really enjoy their meals, were least able to maintain their weight and had five times higher levels of 'bad' cholesterol than those who enjoyed their meals and ate when hungry.  Another good reason to get to grips with eating habits.

Food to fill up on

How we eat and the foods we choose can both help to control hunger levels and so stop us grabbing high-calorie snacks.


Foods that help you to eat less at meal times:
Simply eating a bowl of soup or a small salad before tucking into the main course can help to take the edge of hunger and in turn help to control your appetite while eating so that you end up eating fewer calories in your overall meal.
It's also been shown that foods with air in them help us to feel fuller.  For example if you make a home-made smoothie, whisking it for longer in the blender will introduce air and incrase its volume, which will keep hunger at bay for longer.

Protein rich foods:
Foods rich in protein, such as lean red meat, chicken, eggs and fish, help to switch off hunger signals in our brains quickly so that we soon feel full after starting to eat them.
Scientists are not 100% sure why protein is so satiating, but it could be an evolutionary buffer to help stop us over-eating these foods, which in very large quantities may put a strain on our kidneys.
It's probably also down to the fact that protein physically takes a long time to digest, which helps to keep you feeling full for longer after eating than foods rich in carbohydrates.

Low GI carbohydrates:
That said, some carbohydrates do more to reduce hunger and keep tabs on appetite than others. Slowly digested ones such as porridge, sugar-free muesli, rye, granary and pitta bread, tortilla wraps, sweet potatoes, pasta  and most vegetables and fruits release sugar into our blood slowly and steadily for several hours after eating.
Known as low glycaemic index of low GI carbohydrates, the steady supply of blood sugar they provide helps to delay the speed at which hunger pangs strike again. And because they help to avoid blood sugar dipping below normal levels, they also tend to reduce theurge to grab sugar-rich and, of course, high-calorie foods, such as biscuits, cakes and chocolate, between meals.

For ideas, see: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/, http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/423/ and http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/.