Science Discovers That We Have 5 Types Of Appetite

Science has discovered that there are several types of appetite, not just in humans, but in many animals. In reality, appetite is a much more complex phenomenon than it may appear at first glance. The organism is a sophisticated work of engineering that always seeks balance.

The first thing to say is that the hunger  is not the same as appetite. The first is a strictly physiological need. It arises because the body demands the nutrients it requires to function properly. It is, so to speak, a request for “fuel” to operate.

The appetite on the other hand is a more complicated process. In principle, it is more associated with pleasure than with the survival instinct. It is not necessarily stimulated by the basic needs of the body, but for other reasons as well. Hence, scientists say that there are several types of appetite.

What makes the difference

Before talking about the different types of appetite, let’s point out that this need to eat is regulated by the hypothalamus in humans. It signals when nutrients are required to compensate for energy expenditure. It also indicates when enough is enough.

However, in the past it has been found that food is sometimes ingested in a reasonable amount, but the hypothalamus does not send the “Enough” signal. This is particularly the case with fats and sugars. This means that you can eat a large amount of these foods and do not feel full.

On the other hand, sugars and fats also manage to stimulate the production of two neurotransmitters: dopamine and serotonin. Both are related to the feeling of well-being and pleasure. For this reason, these foods can lead to addiction, as a drug would.

The types of appetite and lobsters

Now, to that knowledge that had already been gathered, other very interesting ones have now been added. We owe the new data to biologists David Raubenheimer and Stephen J. Simpson, who have studied the subject for more than 30 years. The result of his studies  the book was published Eat Like the Animals or Come as animals .

The title alone is already very suggestive and literally alludes to what these two researchers found in their investigations. His central study was made with lobsters. A group of these animals were given a food rich in nutrients and low in carbohydrates ; at the same time, they were offered a food rich in carbohydrates and low in nutrients.

Various types of food were used, always with the same principle, and the lobsters unequivocally distributed what they ate in a balanced way. So they were ingesting the right ratio of protein, no matter how many carbohydrates they had at their disposal.

A second experiment

To advance the research, the scientists experimented with two other groups of lobsters. One of them was given a diet with an excess of carbohydrates and a low proportion of protein; with the other group they did the opposite: they gave them foods with a high amount of protein and a low proportion of carbohydrates. Each specimen could eat as much as it wanted.

The group that received a large supply of protein ate very little carbohydrates. In contrast, the one who received a high amount of carbohydrates ate much more, to compensate for the lack of protein. Why do these animals prefer protein? Simply because they better guarantee their development and survival.

In this way, the researchers found that there were various types of appetite in lobsters. Most strikingly, the scientists replicated this experiment with humans. The result was the same as in lobsters.

Types of appetite and weight control

Finally, the researchers concluded that there are five types of appetites: protein, carbohydrate, fat, calcium and sodium (salt). In the case of humans, they group the first three under the category of “macronutrients.”

Ultra-processed foods contain mainly fat and carbohydrates. For the same reason, a diet based on this type of food means that more food must be consumed to reach the level of protein that the body requires and that is in small proportions in these foods.

The conclusion of the research indicates that humans, like at least 50 species of animals, have mechanisms to seek a balance in food. However , it only works correctly when the foods with which we evolved are consumed. Otherwise, it is disturbed. For this reason, perhaps the best thing is to “eat like animals”.