The feeling of hunger & satiety - The facts

Welche Nährstoffe braucht dein Körper und wie beeinflussen sie das Hunger- und Sättigungsgefühl? Um zu verstehen, wie unser Hunger- und Sättigungsgefühl überhaupt funktioniert, müssen wir erstmal die Nährstoffe kennenlernen. Proteine, Kohlenhydrate und Fette gehören zu den Makronährstoffen, da sie den größten Teil unserer Nahrung ausmachen und die größten Energielieferanten sind. Mikronährstoffe hingegen sind Vitamine und Mineralstoffe, die unser Stoffwechsel zum Arbeiten braucht.Unser Körper braucht alle diese wichtigen Stoffe in ausreichender Menge, damit der Stoffwechsel optimal arbeitet und weniger Hunger auftritt. Mangelt es an einem der unentbehrlichen (essenziellen) Stoffe, schaltet der Körper auf Hunger um, solange bis genug von dem Fehlenden aufgenommen wurde. Die optimale Versorgung unseres Körpers mit Nährstoffen ist also unabdingbar für unser Hunger- und Sättigungsgefühl.

Highlights

Der Körper braucht Makronährstoffe (Proteine, Kohlenhydrate, Fette) und Mikronährstoffe (Vitamine, Mineralstoffe) für Energie und das Gleichgewicht von Hunger und Sättigung.
Proteine und komplexe Kohlenhydrate fördern langanhaltende Sättigung, während schnelle Kohlenhydrate das Hungergefühl anregen.
Tipps zur besseren Sättigung: Protein zu jeder Mahlzeit, Vermeidung schneller Kohlenhydrate und Pausen zwischen den Mahlzeiten.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates consist of sugar molecules. Depending on how many sugar molecules are linked together, they are referred to as simple sugars (monosaccharides), disaccharides or polysaccharides. A monosaccharide is a single sugar molecule such as glucose, fructose or galactose. When two simple sugars are combined, a polysaccharide is formed, such as household sugar (sucrose) and milk sugar (lactose), and the variety of carbohydrates is very large. Starch from rice or potatoes consists of very many glucose molecules and is a very long carbohydrate. during digestion, the carbohydrates are separated into their individual sugar building blocks so that they can be absorbed into the blood. The longer a carbohydrate molecule is, the longer it takes for the digestive enzymes to break it down into its individual components. This is why glucose or sucrose are absorbed into the blood very quickly. In contrast, more complex carbohydrates from starchy foods, such as rice, are broken down more slowly and energy is provided gradually. How quickly carbohydrates are broken down and the simple sugar glucose enters the blood plays a major role in the release of insulin (we will go into this later), but there are also carbohydrates that our digestive system cannot break down - these are dietary fibres. They enter the large intestine undigested and ensure a good consistency of the stool. Some bacteria can break down the carbohydrates that are indigestible for us and feed on them, which is why dietary fiber is important for healthy intestinal flora.

Proteins

Like carbohydrates, proteins are made up of several individual components. These individual components are amino acids, which are broken down into their individual building blocks during digestion in the same way as carbohydrates. Once broken down, the individual amino acids are absorbed into the cells. Our body needs different amino acids in different quantities. When we consume proteins from meat, fish, eggs or protein-rich vegetables, it is therefore particularly important to our body which amino acids they contain. Protein sources are all the more valuable the better they meet the body's requirements. Some amino acids can be converted into each other by the body itself. Others cannot. These are the 8 essential amino acids that we need to supply to our body through food. Our body needs proteins to maintain and build muscle.

Fats

Fats include unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have special functions in the body. Omega 3 fatty acids, for example, contribute to a healthy brain and good eyesight and can have a positive effect on blood lipid levels. Our body cannot produce these unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids itself; they have to be ingested. Unsaturated fatty acids can be compared to vitamins, as our metabolism needs them to work. However, unsaturated fatty acids are quite unstable and should not be overheated when cooking.

How can I tell where saturated and unsaturated fats are contained?

The more unsaturated fatty acids foods contain, the more liquid they are when cold. Cold-water fish, for example, contain a lot of unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids so that they remain mobile in the cold. If they had unsaturated fatty acids in their cell membranes, they would become rigid.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential tools that enzymes need in order to do their work. Vitamins play a role in the utilization of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, as they ensure that these substances are broken down or converted correctly.

Each vitamin has a unique function at a specific point in the complex system of our metabolism. If one of these important tools is missing, what is colloquially known as "the metabolism falls asleep" occurs. Work steps then no longer take place at the correct speed. Some vitamins are not involved in metabolic processes, but are important for building certain body structures - bones, teeth and all our cells.

How does hunger develop and what do nutrients have to do with it?

Hunger arises in our brain, in the hypothalamus, an area of the diencephalon. The signals "hungry" or "full" are transmitted via hormones and nerve pathways. Others in turn signal when a nutrient is missing.

As soon as the body's reserves start to run low, stomach cells produce ghrelin, for example, which stimulates appetite. This is the strongest hunger hormone, but it also slows down the metabolism by causing the body temperature to drop slightly and making you feel less like exercising. After all, the body doesn't know when it will get something to eat again. After the meal, the body checks whether the stomach is really filled with the right food and whether it can set all the signals to "full", only then does the ghrelin concentration drop again. Special sensory cells in the stomach measure how much the stomach wall stretches. In the intestine, on the other hand, receptors check whether the right nutrients are arriving. Only when all this is correct can the brain finally switch to "full". A large portion of vegetables provides many vitamins and minerals and also a lot of volume, but this alone is not enough. Your meal must also contain high-quality protein sources and important fatty acids. Only then will the meal provide the right combination of volume and nutritional value and your body will set the signals to "full".

What influences the feeling of hunger and satiety?

As soon as carbohydrates are broken down into their individual components and the simple sugar glucose enters the bloodstream, the pancreas releases insulin. This hormone ensures that both glucose and amino acids can be transported into the cells. Once these have been delivered to the cell, the insulin and blood sugar levels drop again. When the blood sugar level drops, hunger arises again. If a lot of glucose enters the bloodstream at once, a lot of insulin is also released, causing the blood sugar level to drop again very quickly and hunger arises again. If sugar is constantly being replenished, we are in a constant state of ups and downs. The insulin level is on a real rollercoaster. We fall from one concentration hole to the next and rescue ourselves with a quick snack. It is not only carbohydrates that cause insulin levels to rise, proteins and amino acids also promote the release of insulin. However, when amino acids are consumed, glucagon levels rise along with insulin levels, and the hormone glucagon is the antagonist of insulin when it comes to burning fat. While insulin stands in the way of fat burning, glucagon drives it. The mixture of glucagon and insulin, which is released after the intake of a moderate amount of protein, is ideal for good satiety and active fat burning. However, if too much protein is consumed and therefore a lot of amino acids enter the bloodstream, some of the amino acids are converted into glucose. This causes the blood sugar level to rise in the same way as if you had eaten carbohydrates. The right amount of protein is therefore important.

Tips to support a balanced feeling of hunger and satiety

Eat a maximum of 3 times a day (no snacks)
Take a 4-6 hour break between meals
Avoid fast carbohydrates (sweets, white flour)
Eat a portion of protein with every meal
There should always be a large portion of vegetables on your plate
Add polyunsaturated fats to your vegetables after cooking (e.g. olive oil, algae oil)

Our juice cleanse helps you to get to know your feelings of hunger and satiety and to distinguish when you are really hungry and when you just have an appetite. Reset your body with a juice cleanse reset, start a more conscious lifestyle and feel better in the long term.➤ 3,5 or 7 days juice cleanse

Nutritionist

Developed on a scientific basis by Dr. Ulrike Fischer, who holds a doctorate in nutritional science.

Highlights

Der Körper braucht Makronährstoffe (Proteine, Kohlenhydrate, Fette) und Mikronährstoffe (Vitamine, Mineralstoffe) für Energie und das Gleichgewicht von Hunger und Sättigung.
Proteine und komplexe Kohlenhydrate fördern langanhaltende Sättigung, während schnelle Kohlenhydrate das Hungergefühl anregen.
Tipps zur besseren Sättigung: Protein zu jeder Mahlzeit, Vermeidung schneller Kohlenhydrate und Pausen zwischen den Mahlzeiten.