Why are we less hungry in hot weather?
I perfectly remember a lunch in July when, sitting in front of an incredible-looking potato omelet (the kind that only mothers know how to make), I found myself unwillingly pushing the bites. In other circumstances I would have devoured it without thinking about it, but that day the sun was hot, the air was thick, and my body was just asking for something fresh: a salad, or a cold soup like gazpacho. It was not a whim or a coincidence: the heat changes us. And not only the mood or the rhythm of the day, it also changes what our body needs and wants to eat.
The body is not wrong: it adapts precisely to the heat. The loss of appetite in summer is not a failure, but a biological strategy to keep us in balance. Understanding this helps us to reconcile ourselves with this seasonal lack of appetite and to eat better when temperatures rise.
Eating generates heat (and that is not convenient in summer).
Every time we eat, our body is in motion: it digests, transforms, absorbs. This process, known as the thermic effect of food, generates internal heat. In winter, that little combustion is welcome. But in summer, when the body is already dealing with ambient heat, any increase in internal temperature becomes an extra burden.
So the body reacts by reducing the desire to eat. Not on a whim, but as a form of thermal self-regulation. The less we eat, the less heat we generate. And so, even if we don't know it, we are collaborating with our own survival.
The hypothalamus, orchestra conductor
Responsible for this delicate balance is the hypothalamus, a small region of the brain that acts as a control center. It regulates both body temperature and hunger. And when it senses that the body is overheated, it prioritizes cooling over feeding.
How does it do this? Through neurotransmitters that induce satiety and modulate appetite. In summer, certain neurons, known as POMC neurons, are activated, which inhibit the sensation of hunger. The result: we lose interest in heavy or hot meals and begin to crave cooler, lighter, water-rich dishes.
We prefer fresh, light and easy to digest.
What we feel as a "craving" for gazpachos, watermelon or yogurt is not random. They are foods that provide hydration without demanding too much digestive effort. The body, which is already working to keep us cool, avoids very fatty or protein foods as much as possible, because their digestion raises the internal temperature more than that of fruits or vegetables.
In addition, the digestive system receives less blood flow in hot weather, as the body prioritizes the skin to lose heat through sweating. This makes eating large quantities more costly, slower, even more difficult to digest.
The importance of eating (even if you don't feel like it)
Summer loss of appetite is natural, but it should not be confused with a refusal to nourish oneself. Not eating enough on hot days can lead to fatigue, low blood pressure or dehydration. That is why, even if the feeling of hunger is more subdued, it is important to listen to your body while continuing to nourish it.
The key is to adapt meals: smaller, more frequent and more hydrating portions. Better fresh than hot, better vegetable than fatty, better light than hearty. Not to force ourselves, but to accompany the body in its strategy.
A perfectly tuned seasonal clock
Summer doesn't just change the landscape: it changes our physiology. And although we sometimes fight against this reluctance to eat, it is important to accept that it is not a lack of willpower, but a sophisticated way for the body to tell us what it needs.
This summer appetite is not a weakness. It is biological intelligence. The body regulates itself, protects itself and guides us towards what it needs. Fresh, lighter, more refreshing and moisturizing foods... to help it function better when the heat is on and energy is scarce.
Patricia González
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