Hangry? Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it
Some people wake up grumpy, while others are impossible to deal with when they’re hungry. I fall into the latter category. Waking up in the morning to find that the bread is gone… Waiting too long in a restaurant… HANGRY! And it doesn’t bring out the best in me… Luckily, it turns out to be a normal phenomenon—and it can be prevented.
Hangry
For those unfamiliar with the term ‘hangry’: the word is a combination of ‘angry’ and ‘hungry’, meaning becoming seriously irritated because of hunger. I have no idea who came up with it, but I think it’s brilliantly coined. The big question, of course, is: is being ‘hangry’ actually a real thing, or is it just another word for being dramatic?
The hungrier you are, the angrier you get
Luckily, being ‘hangry’ is definitely not an exaggeration and, what’s more: the phenomenon has even been scientifically explained. Previous studies have already shown that there is a link between appetite and emotions, but recently researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge discovered that, as a human being, you genuinely experience less pleasure when you’re hungry. The hungrier you are, the angrier you feel.
‘When you haven’t eaten for a long time, your blood sugar level drops. This triggers a stress response in your body. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are produced in greater quantities,’ Liesbeth van Rossum, internist-endocrinologist and professor of obesity and stress at Erasmus Medical Center, previously told Radio 1.
‘These hormones in turn stimulate the production of certain proteins, neuropeptides, which trigger the feeling of hunger but can also cause anger, irritation or impulsive behavior.’ Et voilà: the answer to why we (I) sometimes (invariably) react more irritably and/or make more impulsive decisions.
Remedy
The solution is obvious: prevent yourself from becoming hangry by eating on time. Quickly reaching for a Snickers? No—although a wrapper featuring the word ‘hangry’ is a clever idea—that isn’t a good idea. It’s better to avoid sweets and white rice. ‘The fast sugars they contain will briefly get you out of your sugar dip, but it will return just as strongly a little later. Merely postponing the inevitable,’ says Van Rossum.
So what should you eat?
According to the professor, it’s better to choose whole-grain products, proteins and unsaturated fats, such as fresh vegetables, fruit or unsalted nuts.
Bye-bye, hangry monster.
Also read:
- Eddie’s food annoyances: restaurant turn-offs (which I’m almost starting to crave now)
- Eddie’s food annoyances: the supermarket spot check
- These are the 7 disgusting food sins that a lot of people are guilty of
