Fall Is Upon Us, And Are We Eating More?

This I’ve been wondering about, because I must admit, as much as I’m reluctant to, that the past few weeks have been hard. Since outside temperatures started to drop—and they did as early as middle-August this year, with a nasty see-saw effect between cold and hot days to top it all—I’ve been having quite a hard time to commit to “not eating too much”. It’s already not easy to stay focused all the time when the boyfriend brings work pals at home and they all munch on cookies or salty foods (the lucky guys are all as trim as my pinky, so of course they can afford it!); now this… this, my friends, is twisted.

With this said, what triggered my attention tonight was this little article mentioning that fall triggers desire to eat more food:

Why do we eat more in the fall? More than likely, it’s biological - putting on weight in preparation for the potential winter famine our ancestors faced. “It all makes sense - the fall harvest, storing up for the long winter months,” de Castro said. Historically, we have a tendency to eat when food is plentiful, because of not knowing when our next meal was going to be available. Whatever the reason, it’s important to realize that fall foods (soups, stews, breads, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, pumpkins and all types of greens) can actually be healthier than foods of other seasons. They are typically packed with nutrients, such as fiber, beta carotene and vitamin C.

I’m not looking for lame excuses to gorge myself with potatoes and fattening foods, but this could explain why I currently feel this way. I guess I’d better stock on soup and green veggies, in any case. Winter isn’t even here yet, and we sure shouldn’t intend on entering the cold season with a few extra pounds just because the bilogical clock hasn’t updated to modern times yet! And to leave on a positive note, quoted from the article again: “Get out and enjoy the fall weather. The air is cooler, the leaves are turning and the countryside becomes more scenic. It’s the perfect time to go outdoors and take walks, go to the zoo, ride a bike.” Because it helps staying in good shape, after all.