Closer takes a look at five simple ways to combat your hunger pangs.
Wet Your Appetite: “Food isn’t the only thing our body craves,” say experts at the Cleveland Clinic. “Not drinking enough water can also cause your body to send a message, ‘Water, please!,’ through hunger pangs! Dehydration can cause hunger pangs because your body may mistake thirst for hunger.” So, drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stay satisfied.
Slow and Steady: Per the folks at Herbalife: “When you eat small meals every few hours, it helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable throughout the day. This is important since dips in your blood sugar can cause your hunger to spike.” It’s also good advice to chew slowly, as that will make you feel more full eating less food.
Be Flax-able: When it’s combined with water, soluble fiber can slow down digestion and help make you feel fuller for longer. “[And] because of its fiber content, flaxseed helps you feel full,” says clinical dietitian Cheryl Mussatto, author of The Nourished Brain. Other sources of soluble fiber include apples, black beans, oats and sweet potatoes.
Spice It Up: Hot sauce, or foods with the chili pepper extract capsaicin, can cure your pangs. As dietitian Grace Derocha, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, explains: “Capsaicin acts on the part of the brain that controls hunger and fullness cues to make one eat less and feel satisfied sooner.”
Give It a Rest: “Being sleepy may cause you to have an increase in appetite and a craving to increase your calorie intake,” explain experts at Georgia’s Piedmont Healthcare. “Sleep loss interferes with leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone, and ghrelin, a peptide secreted by the stomach to stimulate appetite.” In other words, go take a nap!
