Mike Wakeman, a researcher, pharmacist, and founder of Evera Nutrition, has explained how common summer eating habits can make you feel hungrier by disrupting the body's natural 'fullness' signals.
Wakeman said: “Summer should make healthy eating easier as people prefer lighter foods at this time of year. But holidays, BBQs, alcohol, grazing and later meals can quietly disrupt the signals that normally tell us when we’ve eaten enough.”
How appetite is controlled
He added: “Hunger isn’t simply about willpower – appetite is controlled by a sophisticated conversation between the gut and brain. When we eat, the gut releases hormones including GLP-1 and GIP that help coordinate blood glucose and communicate fullness to the brain.”
“And disrupting our normal eating routine may affect these signals. In a controlled 14-day study, women following an irregular eating pattern had a substantially lower post-meal GLP-1 response than after regular eating, despite being given identical foods. Other research found late eating altered the release of two other appetite hormones - ghrelin and leptin - increasing hunger and driving the urge to eat.”
Five ways summer diet disrupts fullness
Grazing all day – Wakeman said: “Snacking and constant BBQ picking can replace proper meals. Instead, build meals around protein and fibre. One large study found higher-protein meals increased fullness and GLP-1, while reducing hunger and the hunger hormone ghrelin.”
Not eating enough filling fibre – He said: “One particularly interesting fibre is glucomannan from the konjac plant, which absorbs water and expands in the stomach. As a result, glucomannan contributes to weight loss in the context of an energy-restricted diet when consumed daily in three 1g doses before meals with water.”
Avoid quick fixes and consider plant compounds
Don’t fall for ‘fat-burning’ quick fixes – Wakeman said: “Summer can bring the temptation to look for a single ‘fat-burning’ food or ingredient, but appetite and weight regulation are complex. Look at the bigger picture – regular meals, enough protein and fibre, plus for weight loss help and support try Evera Nutrition Go Lean Plus. Backed by research, it includes ingredients - glucomannan, resveratrol, hibiscus, green tea, berberine, curcumin, cinnamon and mulberry – which all help influence the fullness hormones - GLP/GiP – vital when it comes to weight management and weight loss. For instance, resveratrol has been shown to have a significant effect on BMI, waist circumference and bodyweight, while the catechins (EGCG) in green tea can help to reduce body weight, BMI and waist circumference.”
Look beyond calories – plant compounds could play a role in fullness – He said: “Research shows that certain plant compounds can boost the body's natural fullness hormones, GLP-1 and GIP. Scientists are investigating how specific nutrients encourage hormone release, enhance signalling, or slow down their breakdown. For example, cinnamon, fenugreek, green tea and resveratrol (found in grapes) may positively impact these pathways. Polyphenols like quercetin- found in onions and apples - and curcumin from turmeric also show potential in stimulating the specialised intestinal cells that release GLP-1.”
Eating late into the evening
Wakeman said: “Long summer evenings can mean dinner gets eaten later. Researchers found eating later increased hunger even when calories, diet, activity and sleep were kept the same. Regular mealtimes may therefore help your body's natural appetite signals work more predictably.”
He concluded: “The simplest summer advice? Stop grazing, put protein and fibre back at the centre of meals, eat at reasonably consistent times – and think about how the nutrients and plant compounds in your diet may interact with your body's natural appetite and metabolic signalling.”
