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The science of healthy living..

How Long Does It Take Your Brain to Register That the Stomach Is Full???

Because your brain doesn't immediately register that your stomach is full, you may be at risk of eating more than your body needs and getting too full if you are prone to eating quickly or on-the-go. You can reduce your calorie intake if you focus on slowing down and enjoying every bite of food during meals.

THE PHYSIOLOGY:

Your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 15 - 20 minutes, mentions Cara Stewart, dietitian and nutritionist, in a "Penn Metabolic & Bariatric News" article. During this time, receptors inform the brain that your body is receiving nutrients by sending hormone signals. The hormone cholecystokinin is released by your intestines and the hormone leptin tells your brain about your long-term needs and overall satiety based on how much energy your body is storing. Leptin may amplify the signals that cholecystokinin sends to enhance your sense of fullness and it may help the neurotransmitter dopamine give you feelings of pleasure after eating, according to Ann MacDonald, editor of "Harvard Mental Health Letter." If you eat too fast, these hormones may not have enough time to properly communicate.

TIPS:

You may be prone to eating quickly if you don't prioritize meal time. If you want to try adjusting your eating rate, first adjust your schedule and commit at least 20 to 30 minutes to each meal so that you can chew and taste your food at a leisurely pace. Encourage thoughtful eating by steering clear of distractions such as the TV, a newspaper or the phone. If you continue to have trouble eating at a slower pace, make fast eating physically difficult by putting your utensil in your non-dominant hand, by using a smaller utensil such as a baby spoon or by using chopsticks. Use a timer to make sure you're sticking to your goal.

Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?

Many people believe that eating this way – having a light breakfast and your heaviest meal later in the day – flies in the face of conventional wisdom stating that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research shows, however, that eating your heaviest meal at breakfast may actually be detrimental to your health.

A study published in the January 2011 Nutrition Journal debunked the commonly held belief that eating a big breakfast kept you satiated and allowed you to eat fewer calories throughout the remainder of the day. In fact, the study showed just the opposite. When subjects ate a larger breakfast they didn’t eat less throughout the day. The calories from the big breakfast combined with the same amount of calories consumed throughout the day in other meals, as well. In other words, those who ate larger breakfasts consumed more calories throughout the day than those who ate smaller breakfasts. The study concluded that those seeking to lose weight could benefit from eating a lighter breakfast.