If the winter chill is making you raid the fridge for food, don’t blame yourself – your brain is just looking for calories.
While controlling your body’s hunger is complex and not fully understood, there are two main hormones that regulate appetite – leptin and ghrelin.
When your stomach is empty and body fat levels drop, stomach cells trigger the release of ghrelin, leading to feelings of hunger. However, when we eat, leptin is released from fat cells located in the intestines and colon. Leptin then travels through the bloodstream to the brain to suppress appetite and communicate information about what and when we have eaten.
A study published in 2000 in the International Journal of Obesity found that mice given leptin ate less, but two weeks later, their bodies produced antibodies against this hormone, reducing its effectiveness.
The body adjusts and balances energy intake like a thermostat.
In humans, the more body fat one has, the higher the levels of leptin in the blood. Scientists believe that obese individuals also develop resistance to this hormone, preventing the brain from receiving full information and failing to suppress hunger.
Blood leptin levels control your appetite
High-fat foods are energy-dense and can lead people to overeat by tricking the brain into thinking fewer calories have been consumed.
Dr. David Lawrence, a public health researcher at the University of Western Australia, states that the body regulates and balances energy intake like a thermostat.
He explains, “When we increase physical activity, it stimulates us to want to eat more. When we cut back on energy intake, for example, if we skip meals, we may feel more tired and sluggish due to the body reducing energy expenditure. During the cold months, you might feel hungrier because the body needs to burn more energy to maintain temperature,” Dr. Lawrence said.
One way the body responds to maintain homeostasis and energy balance is by stimulating feelings of hunger.
People often think they gain weight due to overeating or lack of exercise, but children are a prime example that this is not an accurate model of how the body processes food and energy, Dr. Lawrence adds.
“Children do not experience growth spurts simply because they eat more on a particular day. Their growth is regulated hormonally by something programmed in their DNA.”
Insulin and serotonin also affect appetite
While insulin is key for the body to know how to use sugar by binding it to cells for absorption, serotonin makes us feel satisfied with food.
In the cold winter months, every time we move, the body expends a lot of energy. The body will demand compensation for the energy deficit to maintain stamina and warmth, often leading to quicker feelings of hunger. To combat the winter chill, the body will adjust its mechanism to convert fat to sugar more rapidly, increasing metabolic rates to generate heat, which is why we also feel hungrier.
To combat the winter chill, the body adjusts the mechanism to convert fat to sugar.
The influence of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which also stimulates appetite
In spring and summer, melatonin levels drop, while they significantly increase in winter. This also explains the phenomenon of “oversleeping” during winter.
Dopamine – the pleasure of eating delicious food
In winter, we also tend to prefer hot and spicy foods, which is not purely emotional as we might think. When feeling cold, the body’s metabolism slows down, so we often choose to eat warm foods to raise our body temperature. According to research, consuming hot foods like spicy hotpot can trigger the production of dopamine – a neurotransmitter synthesized in the brain that makes you feel pleasure and happiness.
How to eat in winter to maintain health and weight?
Instead of high-carbohydrate and high-fat meals, look for high-protein and high-fiber foods as both nutrients help us feel satisfied after eating and can keep hunger at bay longer. Nutritionists recommend meals made from legumes to provide plant-based protein and fiber, along with some lean proteins like chicken or beef.
It is natural to consume more carbohydrate-rich foods in winter as carbs help boost energy and can combat that winter sluggishness. If you crave carbs, opt for whole grains. You should also include potatoes and sweet potatoes, which are tasty yet rich in fiber and nutrients.
By adding more vegetables to your diet, you can eat more food to satisfy your hunger without consuming excessive calories. Always include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to provide different nutrients, as they not only help satisfy you but also keep your immune system strong enough to fight off winter colds. Additionally, remember to stay active and exercise regularly.
