Food is the fuel that keeps the human body running. Our body is designed to know when it needs to eat. But, does it know when to stop? How Your Body Reacts When You Are Full?
“When I am full, I stop eating.” Tyra Banks, Model
But, how do you know you are full? What happens when you overeat? Don’t worry!
Just like our body tells us when it is time to eat, it also tells us when we are full.
What is Satiety?
Satiety is the feeling of fullness. However, this feeling of satiety is not caused by your stomach. It’s the brain!
The stomach has the ability to expand to hold up to 4 Litres of food. But, that doesn’t mean you have to eat 4L of food to feel satiated.
Our brain gets signals when our stomach gets full. It takes around 20 minutes for our brain to know that we are full.
How we know, we are full?
Once you start eating, your brain receptors evaluate foods’ texture, taste and react accordingly. Then, the food slowly passes through your esophagus and stretches your belly.
While the food fills up and stretches the stomach wall, the nerve around the wall sends a signal to your brains. That’s when your body begins to sense fullness.
The digestive system also sends signals to your brain in the form of hormones. This hormone responds to the nutrients from the digested food.
Over 20 different gastrointestinal hormones play in the process of sensing our fullness.
One of the hormones called Cholecystokinin reaches the hypothalamus and makes us feel satiated. This hormone also slows the movement of food from the stomach into the intestine.
Water Vs. Food, what provides a sense of fullness?
Water does not provide a sense of fullness like food. However, it surely can trick your brain into thinking you are full.
Studies suggest that about 500ml of water is sufficient to stretch the stomach and signal your brain that you are beginning to feel full.
So, drinking water before a meal can decrease your hunger.
How does your body reacts when you are full?
During the process of feeling satiated, the gastrointestinal hormone and nutrients presence increases in blood. The blood triggers the pancreas to release insulin.
Eventually, a leptin hormone reacts to your hypothalamus. At this point, your body signals that your stomach is full. Now, your food tastes less exciting than before.
Your body hormones continually signal your brains that you have eaten plenty! At this point, we stop eating and feel satiated.
RECAP
The feeling of being satiated is a result of our body sending signals to the brain as the food is being absorbed and digested. This process also makes the body react in different ways signaling that it’s time to stop eating.
Listen to your body; it knows the best!
Understanding the sense of being full improve your eating habits by stopping you from overeating.
We hope this article was helpful. If you like this article, do share it with your friends and family.
Other Interesting Reads for you :
- Kidney Stones – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
- 7 Health benefits of drinking beer – A GLASS Everyday
- 3 Ways To Find Out Whether You Have Bipolar Disorder Or Not
