Scientists believe that this natural order of needing to stay cool by eating less when it’s hot outside is something that has evolved over time in humans. Our brains play a big role in the loss of appetite too.
According to Dr. Alona Pulde, a family practitioner who specializes in nutrition and lifestyle medicine, (via Yahoo Life), “The hypothalamus, a region in the brain responsible for both regulating our temperature and our hunger, is especially busy during the summer months … Because digesting food generates heat, the hypothalamus suppresses our appetite to prevent additional heat from building up in our body.”
This might also explain why we feel drawn to cool drinks and lighter meals during the hot summer months. Understanding what sorts of foods expend more energy while being digested and what we should and shouldn’t be eating can help us stay comfortable, cool, and healthy when it’s hot outside. And just because the heat makes it more tempting to go out and buy yourself some ice cream, that doesn’t mean you’re making the right choice for your body. In fact, things like ice cream might make you feel good temporarily because of their cool temperature. But with their high sugar (calorie) content, they actually have a high thermic effect overall. So what foods should you be eating when it’s hot outside and you lose your appetite?