Simply put, we eat for two reasons. Homeostatic eating: We eat to get the energy our body needs, and to keep our biological system balanced (aka homeostasis). Hedonic eating: We eat for pleasure (aka hedonism), or to manage our emotions. Most meals are a mix of homeostatic and hedonic eating.

We do know that ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”, stimulates our appetite. It peaks just before meals, and falls during and immediately after eating. Yet ghrelin is not the only factor in hunger or the decision to eat. For example, research shows that mice without ghrelin still eat regularly, just like mice with ghrelin.