Why does fruit make me hungry?!

moopity
moopity Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone else get hungry after eating fruit?! I started incorporating it into my diet again because it used to make me so hungry. Now when I eat fruit, I still feel extremely ravenous. And I'm talking about strawberries and blueberries, not even high-sugar fruits like bananas. I also have a little protein with the fruit to try and stabilize my blood sugars, but I still get soooooo hungry -- and much hungrier than if I eat foods without sugar, which is why it seems so strange to me.

Any insight or shared experience would be lovely and very appreciated!

Replies

  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    I find fruit fills me up. I just had about 1/2 pound of strawberries and am really pretty full.
    Same if I have a large pear. I have never found fruit to make me hungry.
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
    Try watermelon.
  • dancinrascal
    dancinrascal Posts: 204 Member
    i heard that if you eat fruit you should always combine it with some kind of protein.
  • moopity
    moopity Posts: 54 Member
    Thanks for your responses and suggestions. I have eaten my fruits with protein, and yet I am still hungry after eating the combinations of fruit and protein. In fact, today after eating fruit and protein mid-afternoon, I've been super hungry, and I overdid it since I had the munchies so bad!

    I googled it ("Why does fruit make me hungry") and found several online forums saying fruit makes your blood sugar yo-yo so quickly and dramatically that is causes an increase in hunger. But this doesn't make sense in my case...an hour after the fruit, I ate turkey and the rest of my dinner, and I'm still hungry! I'm usually not hungry after eating my normal fruit-less meals.

    THis is frustrating, and I'd love any more input from out there! Thanks :)
  • twinmama2009
    twinmama2009 Posts: 8
    are you drinking enough water? sometimes we feel hungry but it is really thirst...
  • Cappicorn
    Cappicorn Posts: 83 Member
    I'm in the same boat when it comes to apples. When I eat an apple for a snack, within 20 minutes I'm hungrier than I was before I ate it. Other fruits, not so much.
  • smbrooks404
    smbrooks404 Posts: 24 Member
    I would like to know as well becuae everytime I eat an apple in particular, It makes me waaaay hungrier than I was prior to eating it. This only happens with apples though. So very odd!
  • Ziggyzambo
    Ziggyzambo Posts: 46 Member
    Do you simply love fruit? If not, why don't you just leave it out and eat more veggies?
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    As for the why; fruit is a simple carbohydrate. In some cases it can create an insulin spike which can stimulate the sensation of wanting to eat, not hunger, but appetite.

    Some fruits have properties that counter this; for example you can eat straight up table sugar and strawberries and the latter will regulate blood sugar spikes caused by the former.

    Plums and others do this as well. Only thing I could suggest is try not to eat it on an empty stomach, make it the minority of your fruits/veggies based carbs, and if you get "hungry" and you know you really aren't or don't have a need to eat; ignore it.
  • apryljo1
    apryljo1 Posts: 5 Member
    As for the why; fruit is a simple carbohydrate. In some cases it can create an insulin spike which can stimulate the sensation of wanting to eat, not hunger, but appetite.

    Some fruits have properties that counter this; for example you can eat straight up table sugar and strawberries and the latter will regulate blood sugar spikes caused by the former.

    Plums and others do this as well. Only thing I could suggest is try not to eat it on an empty stomach, make it the minority of your fruits/veggies based carbs, and if you get "hungry" and you know you really aren't or don't have a need to eat; ignore it.

    This is absolutely correct. I find certain fruits will put me into a mental starvation mode, and I feel super hungry (even though I know I'm not actually hungry). I still try not to eat much in the way of fruit, but if I do, apricots, oranges, plums, and pears are my go-to fruits :)
  • moopity
    moopity Posts: 54 Member
    You guys have been so helpful! Thank you!

    Love your explanations as to why fruit has made me so hungry. It makes so much sense, and I really appreciate the suggestions about alternate fruits (apricots, etc.). I usually don't eat fruit because years ago my doctor told me my lab tests showed I was pre-diabetic, so I've avoided fruit like the plague. But since joining MFP and seeing others' MFP meal plans, I've seen others enjoying fruit, and I was inspired to try it. I guess my insulin is more unstable than I realized. Maybe it's time for more labs :/

    Thanks again everyone. I love this site and how open, helpful and supportive you are. You guys RULE.
  • moopity
    moopity Posts: 54 Member
    I drink between 10 and 16 glasses of water every day, so I doubt thirst is the cause, but thanks so much for your feedback :)
  • jumadey
    jumadey Posts: 60 Member
    This is a really good article about carbs and how they raise the level of glucose in your blood: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/carbohydrates_and_the_glycaemic_index
  • Krazy_Kat
    Krazy_Kat Posts: 212
    If I am fairly hungry and eat fruit, it doesn't take the hunger away, just makes me cranky and hungry. I try to eat fruit after meals or with other snacks. I eat it because it has vitamins and tastes nice, not because it quells my hunger. Bananas are the exception.

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