Do you feel like you have a bigger appetite during quarantine? It’s not just you. Many people have mentioned on their social networks that since this stage began, they eat more food than they previously consumed.

This situation is related to stress, caused by social distancing and the anxiety of being sheltered at home. Due to this we can experience “emotional hunger”, a concept that is defined as the action of eating in response to negative emotions such as depression, stress, loneliness, anxiety or anger.

In this situation, the World Health Organization mentioned that it is important that we feed ourselves adequately and pertinently since it is necessary that the immune system is in good condition to combat any disease.

If you want to correct the bad eating habits that you may have acquired during quarantine, some recommendations are:

• Plan your purchases. Before going to the supermarket write a list of the ingredients that you will need to prepare your food, this in order to avoid buying too much food.

• Consenting portions. Remember that, being in confinement, we carry out activities that require less energy, therefore, we must consume portions that allow us to feel satisfied, but not very full.

• Natural instead of processed. If you have the need to eat, try to consume fruits, nuts or seeds instead of cookies, salty or sweet snacks.

• Get enough fiber. It will help you stay satisfied for longer, preventing you from consuming food between meals.

• Avoid temptations. The most frequent use of apps to receive food at home has been a great help, however, it avoids falling into temptations of foods high in fat, sodium and sugar.

References

Dressl, N. L., Etchevest, L. I., Ferreiro, M., & Torresani, M. E. (2018). Cortisol as a biomarker of stress, emotional hunger and nutritional status. Nutrition Research Magazine. Volume, 3 (1).

World Health Organization (2020). Food and nutrition tips during self-quarantine. Recovered from: http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-technical-guidance/food-and-nutrition-tips -during-self-quarantine