How To Deal With Lack Of Appetite?

It’s important to eat variety of foods to maintain your health, but it’s hard to eat when you’re not hungry or food isn’t appealing, however, not having an appetite is a scary problem for people who are underweight or losing weight when they don’t want to.

There are many reasons why you may not be hungry. Not having an appetite can be one of the side effects of a medication you’re taking. Your appetite may be low because you’re feeling nervous or depressed. It might also be the taste of the food, or it’s too much trouble to prepare a meal. No matter what the reason is, if you are underweight, increasing your appetite is important for your health.

Here are some ways that will help you increase your appetite and nutrition.

1. Go for Nutrient-Rich Foods
you want to be careful not to fill up on empty calories, such as chips, soda, and baked potato .As you get older, you will need fewer calories with higher nutritional needs. So the less you are able to eat, the more nutritionally heavy your meals should be. This means eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein, whole grains and limiting foods high in sugars and fats.
How much you need to eat depends on whether you’re male or female and on your activity level. Those who are the most active should try to eat higher amount of calories, while inactive women and men should aim for less calories.

2. Have Smaller Meals More Often
For many people, having frequent, small meals are more appealing than three larger meals. Smaller meals may also be easier to prepare. Choose a food that you really like, and then use it to make a small meal that’s packed with nutrients. For example, try tuna fish with a slice of tomato or have some cheese to get extra calcium and vitamins. If you like toast with jelly, add a bit of peanut butter to get some protein.
It’s important that family members package and prepare foods in small portions.

3. Make Food Appealing
when you’re not hungry because food isn’t appealing to you; try to find ways to make it more appetizing. Try combining foods of different colors, such as having red pepper with pasta or broccoli, or simply by placing a few branches of parsley on your plate. Having foods with various colors assures that you’re getting all of the nutrients you need. Trying a new type of food or a new recipe is a good way to increase your interest in eating.

Your sense of smell plays a role in appetite. Because our taste and sense of smell often decrease with age, you may also find food not tasty as good as it used to be. Mixing up the flavors can help. Try adding herbs or spices to the natural flavors of foods. Other flavor enhancers like lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard

4. Keep It Simple
Make mealtime as easy for yourself as possible. Stock your refrigerator and storage room with foods you enjoy so you always have something on hand.

5. Don’t Fill Up on Fluids
Don’t fill up on fluids such as juice, water, tea or coffee before you’re done eating. Enjoy your meal first, and then have your tea, coffee, or other beverage. You need to get all the nutrients from your food before having drinks that are not nutrient-dense.

6. Get Some Exercise
Sometimes getting a little exercise can increase your appetite. Even if you can only manage a short walk around the block, exercise can also help in digestion.

7. Find Company
if you find that you often eat meals alone, look for possibilities to eat with others. You can invite friends or family over for a meal, and join dinner or lunch club or other social groups where people go together for meals.

8. Know When to Ask for Help
Ask for help if you are struggling to get enough nutrition each day. Your nutritionist may be able to help you find other ways to meet your nutritional needs and increase your appetite.

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon