The Curious Case of Hunger

Are you a serial snacker? Is there ALWAYS room for dessert? Do you find yourself feeling hungry throughout the day, despite just eating? Or maybe you notice reaching for a bag of chips whenever you’re feeling stressed? Did you know that there are actually different types of hunger that can shape our eating habits? Spoiler: You’re NOT broken!

Welcome to Salad with a Side of Fries, the podcast where we dig into the surprising truths about how we eat and why. Today, host and health coach Jenn Trepeck is tackling a topic that's far more complex than it seems: hunger. We're going to explore the fascinating world of hedonic hunger, the kind driven by pure pleasure, and how it can often override our natural homeostatic hunger, that biological signal that tells us we actually need fuel. We'll also explore how processed foods significantly impact our hunger signals and strategies for managing each type. Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about your cravings and your plate, because by the end of this episode, you'll have a whole new understanding of what it means to truly be hungry. 

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss in real life, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• (00:00) Hedonic hunger, driven by dopamine, can override the biological drive of homeostatic hunger
• (06:48) Hunger is not a moral failing, and how to identify homeostatic hunger
• (12:01) Cravings versus hunger, and studies show high nutrient density diets reduce hunger pains and cravings
• (16:58) Is it hunger, or is it restriction, and hedonic hunger involves eating for pleasure, triggered by ultra-processed foods or stress
• (22:47) Controlling hedonic hunger
• (27:35) Emotional hunger is eating to cope with emotions, and recognizing emotional eating is key to managing it
• (33:50) Conditioned hunger is defined as a learned response to stimuli or situations
• (37:55) Hidden hunger is defined as cellular micronutrient deficiency, often from processed foods
• (43:00) Toxic hunger is defined as discomfort from processed food toxins
• (47:34) Nutrient-dense, whole foods emphasized as key to balancing all hunger types

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Hunger is multifaceted and often extends beyond the need for energy. There are several types of hunger—hedonic, emotional, conditioned, hidden, and toxic—that are distinct from basic physiological (homeostatic) hunger. This indicates that a complex interplay of pleasure can drive eating, emotions, learned responses, and even cellular deficiencies or toxic exposures, rather than just an empty stomach.
• Understanding the various drivers of hunger is crucial for managing eating behaviors effectively. Recognizing whether hunger is due to a biological need, an emotional state, a learned trigger, or even a cellular deficiency allows individuals to address the root cause more effectively. For example, emotional eating requires different strategies than homeostatic hunger.
• Food quality has a significant impact on hunger and overall well-being. Eating Nutrient-dense foods can reduce true hunger pains and cravings, while processed foods contribute to "hidden" and "toxic" hunger due to nutrient deficiencies and the presence of toxins. This underscores the importance of whole, unprocessed foods not just for satiety, but also for preventing various forms of discomfort and health issues often mistaken for hunger.

QUOTES: 

(07:13) "The body only has so many ways to communicate with us." - Jenn Trepeck

(14:21) “Eating nutrient-dense foods minimizes hunger pains." - Jenn Trepeck

(21:06) “Hedonic hunger is when people