Are you feeling guilty about throwing plates of unfinished food? Do you find it hard to finish even a small bowl of your favourite dish? Worry not! There are many home remedies for loss of appetite, which can help you regain your hunger and the desire to eat again. It’s time to take action before this condition leads to acute weight loss and nutritional deficiencies.
Table Of Content:
- Causes For Loss Of Appetite
- Symptoms Of Loss Of Appetite
- Prevention Of Loss Of Appetite
- Best Home Remedies For Loss Of Appetite
- Other Remedies To Increase Appetite Naturally
- Frequently Asked Questions
Causes For Loss Of Appetite:
So what causes appetite loss? Is it normal? Read along to know some of the major factors that lead to suppressed appetite:
Short Term Appetite Loss:
- Stress/Anxiety
- Cold
- Fever
- Bacterial infections
- Digestive disorders
- Food Poisoning
- Gastroenteritis
- Allergies
- Pregnancy
- Hormonal Changes
- Medication
Long Term Causes for Loss of Appetite:
- Depression
- Chronic Illness
- Alcohol or Drug Usage
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- COPD
- Cancers
Symptoms Of Loss Of Appetite:
The main symptom of an Appetite loss is developing an aversion to food and not feeling hungry. Apart from this, some of the other signs of the condition are:
- Fatigue
- Lethargy
- Poor Digestion
- Nausea
- Weight Loss
- Irritability
- Frequent Sickness
Prevention Of Loss Of Appetite:
Here are some tips that can help in preventing loss of appetite in children and adults:
- Serve small portions are regular intervals instead of two-three large meals
- Makes your meals more interesting with good plating skills
- Do not force yourself to eat when you are not hungry
- Eat with a group instead of sitting alone in order to make your mealtime more enjoyable
- Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated
- Don’t eat too many sugar products
- Quit snacking at least an hour before your mealtime
- Try to Cut down unnecessary medications
- Practice yoga or meditation to alleviate stress and free up your mind.
Back To TOC
Best Home Remedies for Loss of Appetite:
Instead of worrying about not eating well, try these natural remedies to cure appetite loss:
- Ginger
- Carom Seeds
- Garlic
- Indian Gooseberry
- Black Pepper
- Cardamom
- Coriander
- South Indian Vegetable Soup
- Fennel Seeds
- Aromatherapy
1. Ginger:
Ginger is one of the best natural remedies for loss of appetite. It contains many compounds that aid in better digestion and stimulate your appetite at the same time. The refreshing smell of a ginger piece can treat nausea and refresh your senses.
How to Use It:
- Use it in the form of Ginger tea by boiling an inch piece in water
- Eat it in the form a Ginger candy
- Mix ginger powder with honey and lick it slowly
Tips and Precautions:
- Ginger may irritate sensitive stomachs. Care must be taken to have it in small quantities.
2. Carom Seeds:
Carom seeds or Ajwain is one of the traditionally used home remedies to treat appetite loss in children. It treats abdominal disorders like poor digestion, nausea, stomach pain etc. to help you regain your hunger. Experts recommend roasting ajwain seeds to maximize the health benefits and also increase the flavour.
How to Take:
- Boil roasted ajwain seeds in water and drink the strained liquid
- Make a powder of Ajwain seeds and mix it with salt. Have it 5 minutes before your mealtime to increase hunger
- Take 1 tbsp cumin seeds and 1 tbsp carom seeds. Crush them coarsely between your palms and chew the mixture. Slowly swallow the juices to experience better benefits.
Tips and Precautions:
- Ajwain may cause a burning sensation on sensitive stomachs. Be careful with the dosage.
3. Garlic:
The best way to start eating well is to either include garlic in the dishes you prepare each day or else take some garlic juice. Garlic aids in better digestion and its odor can increase the desire for eating (1). It can also treat a number of gastrointestinal problems to make you feel better and is one of the best natural remedies for appetite increase.
How to Take:
- Add finely diced garlic in your salads
- Fry garlic in tempering and add it to your dals, curries to make them more interesting
Tips and Precautions:
- Raw garlic is quite pungent and may not be palatable. It is better to use the cooked version of this bulb.
4. Indian Gooseberry:
Indian gooseberry also known as Amla is one of the best home remedies to increase appetite. It detoxifies the liver and regulates the functions of the digestive system to help you achieve the goals. When taken with honey, it also cures issues of nausea and vomiting.
How to Use:
- Mix 1tbsp Amla juice with honey in water and consume it everyday.
- Use it in the form of Amla Pickle
- Try chewing on salted Amla or Amla candy to get instant relief from nausea and hunger loss.
Tips and Precautions:
- Taking Amla on an empty stomach may cause Acidity in a few people. You can try in small quantities to ensure it suits you.
See Also: Are Black Pepper Good For Health
5. Black Pepper:
Looking for some natural remedies to increase appetite? Try Black Pepper. Along with treating all kinds of gastrointestinal problems, black pepper also helps in the improvement of appetite by stimulating the taste buds and enhancing stomach acids to aids digestion.
How to Take:
- 1 tbsp of jaggery powder with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder can be taken once daily
- Sprinkle some black pepper on your salads for enhancing flavour and taste
Tips and Precautions:
- If you have stomach ulcers or sensitivity issues, refrain from following this treatment
Back To TOC
6. Cardamom:
Cardamom is an aromatic spice that works as one of the best natural remedies for increasing appetite. The seeds inside each pod are packed with essential oils which get released in your mouth after chewing them. These oils stimulate your salivary glands and send hunger signals to your brain, which makes you want to eat again.
How to Use:
- Chew a Cardamom directly
- Add crushed Cardamom in milk or tea
Tips and Precautions:
- Avoid overconsuming this spice, as doing so can worsen appetite loss and lead to vomiting, nausea etc.
7. Coriander:
If you are looking for natural ways to boost appetite, Coriander is your answer! Coriander is widely used in ancient medicine as a digestive and appetite stimulant. It has a fresh, herby scent that can instantly uplift your moods and stir interest on food as well. A recent study also confirmed the positive effect on Coriander on the appetite of rats (2).
How to Take:
- Drink a glass of coriander juice by blending the leaves and extracting the liquid
Tips and Precautions:
- Add some coriander leaves to salads for a crunchy texture
8. South Indian Vegetable Soup:
Go to any Indian restaurant and you are likely to find Mulligatawny soup on the menu card. This is considered to be the original Indian vegetable soup and literally translates to “Pepper Water”. The soup is packed with various spices and condiments like Pepper, Tamarind, garlic, cumin seeds, coriander seeds etc. which give you a warm and comforting feeling in just one sip. It is easily one of the best home remedies to treat hunger loss in adults.
Tips:
- Have this soup at least 20-30 minutes before having a meal to increase your appetite.
9. Fennel Seeds:
Fennels seeds work in an interesting way to boost your appetite. They contain many essential oils which work on your digestive system. By speeding up the digestion and increasing the metabolism, fennel seeds prepare your body for the next meal. The distinct aroma of these seeds works as a natural remedy to treat nausea and lack of hunger.
How to Use:
- Chew Fennel seeds directly and suck in the juice
- Prepare fennel tea by boiling the seeds in water and consume it twice daily for better results.
Back To TOC
10. Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy has some wonderful essential oils which work like appetite enhancers. They have many compounds which work on your nervous system and alleviate symptoms like stress, nausea etc. which suppress your hunger.
Here are the best essential oils for treating loss of appetite in adults:
a. Fennel, Cinnamon and Clove oil:
A study reveals some interesting facts about Fennel, Cinnamon and Clove essential oils. It was found that these three oils have appetite enhancing effects when inhaled. (3) This is because of the active compounds like eugenol, eugenol acetate etc. present in these oils.
b. Lavender Oil:
A study shows that inhaling the scent of lavender oil for about 15 minutes can increase food intake (in rats) (4). This is caused by an active component called Linalool which calms down your nervous system and improves your overall desire for eating.
See Also: Essential Oils That Promote Weight Loss
Other Remedies To Increase Appetite Naturally:
Apart from the home treatments for loss of appetite mentioned above, you can even follow these simple remedies to overcome the problem:
- Use appetite stimulant capsules or syrups to stimulate hunger. Speak to a doctor to find out a suitable medicine with dosage.
- Try drinking meal replacement shakes instead of solid foods. Cram the goodness of multiple veggies and fruits into one delicious drink.
- Switch to health snacking options like fruits, nuts, seeds, yoghurt etc. which are packed with good calories.
- List down your favourite foods and try a variety each day. This can keep your interest on food alive.
- Exercise to burn more calories and switch on the hunger button. Do it regularly for effective results.
We hope these home remedies for loss for appetite can help you deal with hunger loss due to temporary problems. For long term issues, it is recommended to use these remedies along with the proper course of medical treatment and advise by a nutritionist. It’s time to start working on your appetite before you start looking like a “lifeless” person.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How Do I Cope With Not Eating Well?
Ans: When we say “Not eating well”, it means the food consumed is not in line with the body requirements. Many people have poor eating habits from birth and are either fussy eaters or simply don’t like food. However, if you were a good eater from your childhood, but have suddenly stopped eating, it indicates a problem. Try to sit with a counsellor or a doctor to know what’s bothering you, to understand how you can deal with this issue.
2. Is It Healthy to Lose Weight by Choosing Not to Eat Well?
Ans: If your body doesn’t get enough food to meet is nutritional requirements, it gets severely malnourished and makes it susceptible to attacks. You need to ensure a well-balanced diet, which in turn helps you maintain your body weight as well. By not eating enough, you are starving your body and subjecting it to torment.
Back To TOC
3. Can Over Doing Fasting Lead to Appetite Loss?
Ans: Fasting is actually good for your body when you do it once a while. It helps in detoxification and rejuvenating your system. By frequently choosing to fast and skip your food, you are very likely to end up in a stomach shrink. This makes your stomach contract and makes it small. So, the amount of food that it can accept also goes low, giving you signs of appetite loss.
