Now that the mercury is rising rapidly towards 30 degrees, we are preparing for another warm day. Our bodies have to endure a lot these days. But good food and drink often falls short on these days. Why are you less hungry on hot days? Thermophysiologist Koen Levels and Dietitian Denise provide the answer.
According to thermophysiologist Koen Levels, the fact that you are not yet hungry is all due to so-called energy management, or: what your body uses its energy for.
“Your body is so busy cooling down that less energy goes to your gastrointestinal system in the form of blood. That in turn influences the hunger perception in the center of your brain. So you are less hungry.”
“You should eat more.”
But with that, your body is actually fooling itself, explains the thermophysiologist. “You are less hungry, while you should actually eat more. You need that energy to keep your body cool.”
Dietitian Denise understands very well that people are less hungry with the warm weather. She recommends eating something anyway, for example something light like a salad. And see if you can get some more energy from drinking. “If you normally drink sugar-free drinks, it’s best to grab a juice or smoothie now.”
“Don’t just drink water.”
Not all drinking is good for you in this weather. Some things are better left alone or at least not too much. “When you sweat a lot and supplement that with only water, you lose a lot of salt and sugar. You also have to be careful with alcohol. With this heat, you have a greater chance of dehydration,” explains the dietitian.
Denise has one last tip for the warm weather. “Cook for several days. With this warm weather you really don’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen. For example, you can make a pasta salad for several days. You can also do that early in the morning.”
ALSO READ:
This is why the heat makes you so tired and here’s what you can do about it
Gardener Martijn gives tips for the coming tropical days