Uncovering the Truth about "The 4pm Hunger"
A curious foodie who can't stop flipping ingredients labels and assessing wait, whats that? OG Scoop decodes the science behind every food in plain, snackable English with OG Twist.
How often, after a "heavy" lunch, have you found yourself hungry again by 4 PM?
I bet it happens quite often!
Now that you're reflecting on it, think about this: a heavy lunch at 12:30 - 1 PM should ideally keep you full for longer, right? Well, it depends on how you define "heavy."
In this blog, let's dive into the truth about 4 PM hunger and examine some brand labels to see how they offer substandard products claiming to solve this problem! As always, we'll understand it without any jargon, using simple English, but with an OG twist!
Why does 4 PM hunger feel so common in India?
It all starts with breakfast and lunch. A typical Indian breakfast and lunch looks like this:
Poha, tea with biscuits or rusks, followed by a rice-heavy lunch.This is a carb bomb, causing a sharp insulin spike followed by a crash that makes you hungry again quickly. Your body craves quick dopamine, leading you to grab a pack of chips or snacks at 4 PM.
Unless you're not eating enough at lunch then it's no surprise that you feel hungry again, LOL!
How to better manage it?
The Mantra to tackle this issue is “Protein + Fibre”. Add protein and fibre in your breakfast and lunch, which will keep you full for longer.
And even if you feel hungry again, which might happen out of habit, choose snacks like roasted chana or peanuts, Greek yogurt with seeds, protein biscuits (make sure to pick an honest brand!), or boiled eggs.
Britannia Rusks - A convenient solution?
Many of us love having rusks with chai, especially our parents. It feels convenient, doesn't it?
While brands make big claims about "Goodness," let's take a closer look at the product. Here is the breakdown of a leading rusk brand that claims to be a one-stop solution for a quick breakfast and an evening chai-time snack.
Britannia Toastea
The front of the pack highlights the "Goodness of Elaichi," but does the back label support this claim?
Top 3 Ingredients are Maida, Sugar & Palm Oil = Quick insulin spike followed by a crash!
No wonder you feel hungry again shortly after eating these. Also, Elaichi is just 0.3%, not sure which goodness they are referring to! :P
So next time you see a brand advertisement with big claims, take a step back, read the label. Be a smart consumer!
The OG Recommendation
Fixing your breakfast and lunch can solve 4 pm hunger issues, but even after doing that if you feel hungry then read the labels and pick the better alternatives and ask: Will keep me full till dinner?
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