Do you constantly feel like eating? Do you have major food cravings? There may be several reasons why you feel the urge to eat. Discover the main reasons why you may feel hungry.
You eat too many foods rich in sugar or carbohydrates
Feeling hungry even though you feel you ate well at your last meal? This may be due to eating too many foods rich in sugars and carbohydrates and/or ultra-processed foods.
And for good reason: these types of food do not limit the production of hormones involved in regulating appetite, and may even, on the contrary, promote the sensation of hunger.
To meet the body’s energy requirements and satisfy the need for satiety, it’s best to focus on vegetables, fruit, wholegrain cereals, legumes, seeds and nuts.
Have you recently lost weight?
Lost weight lately? That could explain why you’re often hungry. After losing weight, hormones in the blood signal to the brain that energy reserves, in the form of fat, have been exhausted.
The result? The brain tells the body to conserve energy resources, which can stimulate the desire to eat.
Skipping meals
For the same reasons explained above, skipping meals can trick the brain into making you want to eat in order to meet the body’s daily energy requirements.
You are taking certain drugs that make you put on weight
Some drugs are known to promote hunger and lead to cravings. This is the case, for example, with certain antidepressants, neuroleptics, sleeping pills and antihistamines, antidiabetics, antiepileptics, corticosteroids and certain contraceptive pills containing estrogens and progestins.
You’re going through a hormonal change
Certain hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause or premenstrual syndrome can lead to feelings of hunger.
You are stressed and/or sleep-deprived
Stress, emotions, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can also trigger food cravings.