It takes 20 minutes to eat 500 grams of apple. Apple sauce takes 6 minutes and 500 grams of apple juice can be consumed in 1.5 minutes.

Why is that only an hour after we ate that greasy hamburger we’re hungry again? And why do we crave sugar so much? Questions such as these, about why we eat what we eat and, more importantly, why we can’t stop eating them, call for some answers.

Fats satiate the least when compared to proteins and carbohydrates. Eating fat makes you quickly feel full, but only temporarily. The body is able to absorb and store fat easily. This makes you feel full fast, but because the body doesn’t need a lot of time and energy to digest fats, you quickly feel hungry again.

Some other facts & figures:

• The average human can discern 1 trillion different scents and name a great deal of these (Source: The Rockefeller University).

• Higher flavour intensity and smaller bites lead to quicker satiety (Source: Wageningen University).

• Proteins satiate the most, while fats satiate the least. Carbohydrates/sugars are right in between the two.

• Alcohol indirectly stimulates the hypothalamus - the area of the brain that regulates hunger and satiety - stimulating appetite (Source: Physiology & Behaviour).

• Sugar has a similar influence on the brain to that of drugs like cocaine and opium. Sugar secretes an opioid-like substance that activates the reward systems in the brain, making you crave more.

• It takes 20 minutes to eat 500 grams of apple. Applesauce takes 6 minutes and 500 grams of apple juice can be consumed in 1.5 minutes (Source: Wageningen University).
 

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