Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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So, curious if there's a scientific link here about why some breakfasts make me hungry and some do not.

If I skip breakfast (IF): not hungry til lunch, normal rest of the day. If I eat my typical eggs+meat breakfast: not hungry til lunch or even later, normal rest of the day.

However, if I add veggies to my meat+eggs breakfast, I'm very hungry and can't wait for lunch. I eat the same amount of eggs and meat, but add in leafy greens sauteed in coconut oil with onions and garlic. Also, if I'm late for work and eat a handful of berries and some raw cheddar, I get ridiculously hungry and am snacky all day. This seems to me it'd be an insulin spike thing, but why would the meat+eggs+veggies do the same?

There's really no special reason I need this question answered, other than curiosity of the mechanics of it all.

flag	asked Feb 12 2012 at 14:04 staceychev 3,151●3●10

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Carbs mean more insulin secretion, which means more hunger. We each have our levels of optimal carbs for meals, and blood sugar regulation. Dr. Richard Bernstein recommends 6 grams of carbs for breakfast, and 12 for lunch and 12 for supper. I wish you successful experimenting. – PaleoGran Feb 12 2012 at 16:10

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P. S. If you would like to know how much a food effects your blood sugar, your could test after eating, with a glucose meter. – PaleoGran Feb 12 2012 at 16:11

@PaleoGran, that's a good thought but it wasn't it for me. I do test and my bg wasn't volatile when I ate dairy or veggies--it does spike from stand-alone fruit though. – Nance Feb 12 2012 at 16:46

FED at LiveCaveman.com · Answer 1 · 2012-02-12 14:34:40Z UTC

Since the fruits and veggies you mentioned (berries, leafy greens, onions, and garlic) have little by way of carbohydrate, protein, or fat in them (other than the coconut oil you used to saute them in) I would be hesitant to suggest that they are causing an extra "insulin spike" above and beyond what you would experience eating eggs and meat without them.

I would, however, point to the fact that they add a significant amount of volume (water plus soluble and insoluble fiber).

It stands to reason that expanding your stomach first thing in the morning "primes" you to feel hungrier throughout the rest of the day as a result.

This is contrary to the conventional wisdom about "satiating" volume, but the fact is, once that volume reduces (and it quickly does as water is rapidly absorbed) you've now had a pre-stretched stomach that may be more prone to feeling "empty" and you're left feeling hungry.

Regarding the cheese, all dairy products (raw or otherwise) do cause insulin levels to rise higher than would be expected by their carbohydrate content. This is a factor of dairy proteins (whey & casein) and would also be expected with cheese. The cheese and berries breakfast on the way out the door may have some insulin issues going on with it, but I would also point out that there have been numerous studies showing that a breakfast on the run, vs one spent seated, is less satiating psychologically (just like eating in front of the tv or computer) which may leave you feeling "snacky" as a result.

Nance · Answer 2 · 2012-02-12 16:44:37Z UTC

I mentioned the same effect on a thread yesterday, only for me the "exciter" was eggs. And a few others indicated they have the same reaction to eggs. I'm thinking it could be similar processes behind your reaction to the vegetables. FED's comment is very plausible, but my stomach felt about the same both days so I don't think stretching was the issue.

If I have 6-8 ounces of meat for breakfast, I may not be hungry 'til the next day. If I have 6-8 oz of meat plus 2-4 eggs, I'll be starving 2 hours later.

I think many of us have such reactions to specific foods and not necessarily as intolerances. An unrecognized deficiency? Reward center response? (I like beef better than eggs so I'm not advocating that) Stomach/gut response? Interaction between the eggs and my coffee/cream/honey?

I just don't know.

Why do veggies at breakfast make me hungry?

2 Answers