A Wonderleaf question
Why do we get hungry?
a real page from the book
We get hungry because the body is running low on readily available energy. After a while without food, blood glucose falls and the stomach releases ghrelin, a hormone that tells the brain to seek more fuel. The feeling is a body message, not bad manners.
One busy brain area, the hypothalamus, gathers those signals and helps switch appetite on or off. When food is digested, glucose rises again and hormones such as leptin help say enough, which is why dinner can turn a growling belly into calm.
Wonder words
- glucose
- ghrelin
- hypothalamus
- leptin
Try it out
Before dinner, name three body clues for hunger, then notice which ones fade after eating.
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