How do you recognize the difference between hunger and thirst?

The difference between hunger and thirst is difficult to notice, except that you often get a dry mouth and throat from thirst. A good way to determine what’s going on now is to think about when you last ate and what that was. For example, if you’ve just finished a high-fiber meal, it’s likely that your hunger pangs are actually thirsty. But it could also be that you last had something to eat a few hours ago. Then it is logical that you are hungry: your body needs energy again to function. Whether you’re feeling hungry or thirsty, it’s always good to have at least a glass of water, as most people usually don’t drink enough.

Many kinds of hunger

There are many kinds of hunger. For example, there is hunger that comes back at fixed times because you have taught yourself this (habit hunger), hunger that is due to a feeling of restlessness (boredom) or hunger that is actually thirst (false hunger). ‘True’ hunger (body hunger) is the feeling that the body gives off when it is time to eat. If you eat when you’re not really hungry, your body gets out of balance. That is why it is wise to carefully consider where your hunger comes from.

Recognizing Thirst

One of the functions of moisture is to maintain the concentration of salts and proteins in the blood. The moment this level is out of balance, your body will send signals to indicate that it needs fluids. Drinking too little water, for example, causes a headache or a dry throat. You can also see from your urine whether there is enough fluid in your body. If the urine looks yellow, that’s a sign that you need to drink more water. If you have clear urine, you have drunk enough.

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