What Is Hunger?
The body’s internal mechanism, which encourages human beings to consume food, is quite complex. The body requires the essential driving power – energy to execute daily actions in life. So, energy is extracted from the food through the critical internal digestive mechanisms by body enzymes & hormones.
Food is generally collected as by-products in the liver & muscles as glycogen or fat. According to energy requirements, the body executes the multidimensional physical & chemical mechanisms to extract energy from food. Therefore, with the involvement of the stomach, pancreas, nervous system, brain & primary hormones – Leptin and ghrelin- the body triggers and controls the hunger signals. The persistent hunger impulse plays a major role as humans consume food in time to supply energy to the body consistently.
What Is Appetite?
The intense desire to take food in any environment, at any time, is called ‘Appetite.’ Though common people often misunderstand appetite as hunger, appetite is quite different from the feeling of hunger.
Let’s have a look at the differentiation between hunger and appetite:
From The Perspective of Definition:
Hunger:
The definition of hunger explains the internal urge to eat while the body does not receive food regularly. So, hunger is one kind of body’s biological response to continue the complex energy production mechanism.
Appetite:
Appetite is a natural desire to have food, and intense psychological factors trigger it.
What Causes Appetite Vs. What Causes Hunger?
Appetite:
- In different psychological phases, the specific functions of particular internal hormones and neurotransmitters, stimulants or suppressants in the body, trigger the sense of appetite.
Hunger:
- On the other hand, while the stomach empties, the secretion of the Ghrelin hormone becomes high, sending signals of hunger to the brain.
According to Characteristics: Hunger Vs Appetite
Hunger:
Without food in the stomach, the biological actions & reactions throughout the body trigger the sense of hunger. So, hunger is typically a physiological condition.
Appetite:
Appetite is simply an urge to have food anytime, as environmental and emotional conditions impact the secretions of hormones, which causes frequent appetite. So, appetite is a psychological condition.
Timings Factors: Hunger vs. Appetite
Hunger:
As hunger is a physical reaction, you can feel hunger periodically, such as every 4 to 5 hours of last meals, while your stomach turns empty.
Appetite:
But you can feel your appetite anytime, even if your stomach is full. In general, any kind of psychological turmoil, such as stress, emotional crisis, anxiety, or depression, can promote a sense of appetite.
Terms of Fulfillment: Hunger Vs Appetite
Hunger:
According to research, refined carbohydrates are digested easily by your digestive system. So, if you intake refined carbohydrates frequently, your stomach empties quickly, and you will feel hungry.
So, after eating meals, hunger is satisfied.
Appetite:
Eating spicy baked goods, sweetened snacks, and deep-fried items often triggers the appetite, even if your stomach is full. Besides, certain medical conditions often promote the sense of appetite.
Take a glance at the points on:
Hunger Vs Appetite:
| Hunger | Appetite |
| Reaction in body | Reaction in brain |
| Work as fuel | Promotes the sense of pleasure |
| Need | Craving |
| Desire to consume any items | Desire to consume specific foods |
| Gradual reaction | Sudden reaction |
Conclusion:
The entire discussion explains the internal factors behind hunger Vs. Appetite, as you can adopt lifestyle modifications to execute your wellness routine by maintaining a healthy balance between hunger and appetite.
