Ghrelin And Leptin: The Hunger And Satiety Hormones.
When we need to lose weight, we generally think about going on a diet and/or exercising more. But did you know that another key to maintaining our ideal weight lies in our hormonal system? We invite you to discover the role of ghrelin and leptin, which are respectively the hunger and satiety hormones.
What is the hormone of satiety?
If snacking is the cause of your excess weight and you're looking to understand why you're always hungry, know that two hormones work together to regulate appetite. The hormone that sends a signal to our brain when we've eaten enough, called leptin, is the hormone of satiety. Even though leptin is produced by adipose tissue, it's not the biggest people who produce the most of this appetite suppressant hormone. On the contrary, people who abuse junk food rich in sugar and fat develop a resistance to leptin. This means that their brain becomes deaf to the satiety messages that this hormone tries to send it...
What is the hunger hormone?
The other hormone involved in regulating appetite is called ghrelin. It is secreted in the stomach when it is empty, to trigger the urge to eat.
It is because of ghrelin that you should not go grocery shopping on an empty stomach! American researchers have shown that the feeling of hunger pushes you to fill your cart with fatty and sugary foods. Their conclusion is clear: to buy healthy foods, it is better to go to the supermarket with a full stomach...
When this hunger hormone fulfills its role well, we observe a peak of secretion when the stomach is empty, then its secretion decreases as the stomach fills up.
However, when the diet is chaotic with snacking throughout the day, our body loses its bearings. The secretion of this hormone ends up triggering unexpectedly. This explains why we can snack without being hungry.
Furthermore, cortisol, which is the stress hormone, increases appetite: another good reason to eat in peace and use anti-stress methods to stay calm and slim!
It has also been proven that lack of sleep reduces leptin secretion and increases ghrelin secretion. In other words, we are much hungrier when we have not slept well. To take care of your hunger and satiety hormones, it is important to sleep well, so try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Your biological clock will thank you!
How to make peace with your hormones?
If you regularly suffer from cravings and feel like snacking throughout the day, with or without hunger, know that it is possible to influence the hormonal regulation of appetite. Even if your hormones seem to have lost their way, you can restore balance by adopting a balanced diet and more regular sleep and meal schedules. The proper functioning of hunger and satiety hormones depends in part on a fair distribution of meals throughout the day. As a general rule, it is recommended to eat every 4 hours or so. This delay allows the stomach to empty before filling it again. It also allows the two hormones leptin and ghrelin to be secreted according to their natural rhythm, without being disrupted by snacking. Furthermore, if you are one of those people who eat twice as much at the next meal when they skip a meal, it is better to avoid following the intermittent fasting method to lose weight. You risk further disrupting your hormones...
How to feel less hungry?
Even if it sounds like a truism, the first advice to lower your ghrelin level (the hunger hormone) during meals is to sufficiently fill your stomach.
If you are a big eater, instead of swallowing two big plates of spaghetti, start your meal with a bowl of soup to give your stomach the sensation of being already half full. Thanks to this trick, you will eat less pasta afterwards and ingest fewer calories during the meal!
Another way to make your meals more nutritious is to structure your menus well, with a raw vegetable starter, a main course, and a dessert.
If, despite everything, you are still hungry between meals, plan for balanced snacks rather than "cracking" before dinner time and snacking on anything (like bread, cheese, or appetizer biscuits).
The healthiest snacks are those that are rich in fiber such as raw vegetables (such as cherry tomatoes) and nuts like almonds or hazelnuts. Remember that dietary fiber has a satiating effect and contributes to increasing your leptin level, the famous satiety hormone.
