Our appetites and tastes change with the seasons
IF YOU crave stodgy food when the temperature plunges, you’re not alone.
Studies show that the amount we eat changes with the seasons: we consume the most calories in autumn – particularly carbohydrates – and the least as we head towards the summer months, according to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006.
There are several possible explanations for this, said Dr Gunter Kuhnle, an associate professor of nutrition and health at the University of Reading.
One of these could be simply a hangover from evolution.
“The body does need more energy to keep itself warm in cold conditions, although, as most people now live in well-heated buildings and have adequate clothes and shoes, they don’t tend to burn many more calories just to regulate body temperature,” said Kuhnle.
The habit may also hark back to when food was more scarce in winter, prompting us to stock up in plentiful autumn.
These days, comfort eating to cheer ourselves up during the colder, darker months could also be a factor, as well as the fact people tend to be less inclined to exercise when it’s chilly outside.
“It’s thought that exercise helps suppress appetite because it suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin,” added Kuhnle. “So if you don’t exercise, your appetite may increase.” – Daily Mail
It’s thought that exercise helps suppress appetite because it suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin