Why eating junk food makes you hungrier
Protein appetite as an integrator in the obesity system: the protein leverage hypothesis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People eat 12% more food when protein drops from 15% to 10%, even though protein intake stays the same.
Most people think overeating is about willpower, taste, or calories — but this shows it’s a biological drive for protein, not hunger or cravings.
Practical Takeaways
Check the protein % on your food labels — aim for meals with at least 15% of calories from protein to avoid the 12% overeating trap.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People eat 12% more food when protein drops from 15% to 10%, even though protein intake stays the same.
Most people think overeating is about willpower, taste, or calories — but this shows it’s a biological drive for protein, not hunger or cravings.
Practical Takeaways
Check the protein % on your food labels — aim for meals with at least 15% of calories from protein to avoid the 12% overeating trap.
Publication
Journal
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Year
2023
Authors
D. Raubenheimer, Stephen J. Simpson
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Claims (5)
Human eating behavior is controlled by a set daily amount of protein needed, and feelings of hunger continue until that protein amount is consumed, even if enough calories have been eaten.
People who eat more ultra-processed foods tend to consume a smaller proportion of their calories from protein and more from fats and carbohydrates, even though their total amount of protein stays the same, and they end up consuming more total calories.
When the proportion of protein in the diet is lowered from 15% to 10% of total calories, people tend to eat more total food to maintain their protein intake, resulting in higher overall energy consumption.
Foods that are heavily processed often contain less protein and more fat and carbohydrates than whole foods, and this specific combination may lead people to eat more calories because the body seeks to meet its protein needs.
Diets eaten by humans before industrialization provided more protein for each calorie consumed than the diets commonly eaten today.