The doctor told why you want fat and sweets in bad weather

Have you noticed that in winter you want fatty and hot food, and in summer – more sour, light, salads and lemonades? This is a natural reaction of the body to the change in temperature. Everything in nature is interconnected, and therefore the vagaries of the weather affect our taste preferences. Let’s find out how appetite changes in different seasons and whether we should worry about it.

Candidate of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics SITILAB

When the weather turns bad, as a rule, there is less physical activity, the body feels stressed and wants to eat something tasty.

Weather affects what and how much we eat. For example, in regions with hot climates, men eat an average of 3100 kcal. And in northern regions – 4900 kcal, which is 1800 kcal more than in warm countries. This conclusion was reached by a researcher from the University of Toronto, Peter Herman, comparing the diet of people living in different regions of the planet. Why does this happen?

Irina: Fats from food help keep you warm in winter. Also, if you are overweight, your body may try to store fat to keep you warm. In the summer, we need more fluids and, surprisingly, salts, which are eliminated with sweat in the heat.

When to be alarmed

Changes in appetite are not always weather-related. If in rainy fall or slushy spring sharply increases appetite, it is worth taking a closer look at the diet and your health. The fact is that in the fall sharply reduces the amount of vitamin D, the diet becomes less vegetables and greens, they are replaced by flour and sweets. Firstly, such a diet can cause carbohydrate swings, which makes you want to eat more after a sweet bun. And secondly, fast-carbohydrate products are low in vitamins.

Irina: The body can send a signal that it is hungry to fill the deficit of necessary substances, but instead it receives fast carbohydrates and “empty” calories. In addition, when the daylight hours are shortened, the weather deteriorates, there is less physical activity, the body experiences stress, which wants to “eat” something tasty, to please yourself in the simplest way. A vicious circle is formed: we try to raise our mood and quench our appetite with hot sweet coffee and pastries, but instead we only increase the feeling of hunger and increase blood sugar.

What to do in this situation

It is important to build a balanced diet, reduce the amount of sugar, increase the amount of fiber, add sports to your life. This is the only way to raise the energy level.

Irina: In addition, there are some elements that cause hunger or cravings for sweets. The main one is magnesium. Most of the population is deficient in magnesium all year round, but this problem is especially acute in the cold season, when it becomes more difficult to eat a varied diet. Therefore, if you have a constant craving for sweets, it is worth checking the level of magnesium in the blood.

If unbearably crave meat, probably there is a lack of iron, there is a risk of anemia. Craving for spicy can be a symptom of decreased thyroid function. In this case, you need to undergo prophylaxis, do an ultrasound and take a number of tests as prescribed by the doctor.

No matter how much we are dependent on the weather, it is in our power to control our desires. A balanced diet and regular exercise will help to avoid unexpected spikes in appetite.