Appetite is generally referred as the natural desire of body to eat food though there is a difference between appetite and hunger. Hunger is a physiological process, generally occurred due to the biological changes of body, which signal that body needs food for maintain normal energy level whereas appetite is just the desire to eat. Healthy appetite is considered as a good sign of health

In recent time loss of appetite becomes one of the most common problems among people of all age groups. There are several factors responsible for decreasing appetite such as anxiety, depression, stress, hormonal imbalance, renal complications, dementia, bacterial infections and eating disorders

Poor appetite is associated with decreasing food consumption that ultimately develops malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and various life threatening complications, which are responsible for increasing morbidity and mortality rate thus it should be prevented. Several medications are available for enhancing appetite but it is always better to try some natural remedies as they have no side effects

Below points will discuss about some simple home based remedies for increasing appetite –

Inclusion of carminative herbs in diet

• Consumption of carminative herbs and spices play imperative role in preventing bloating or abdominal fullness, which are considered as one of the most vital causes of poor appetite

• Black pepper, cinnamon, thyme, peppermint are considered as most common carminative spices and herbs that help to reduce bloating more effectively and improves appetite
• Black pepper is associated with preventing digestive issues by enhancing gastric acid secretion. It helps to cure flatulence and also helps in stimulating taste buds, which ultimately help to improve appetite
• Cardamom is also accountable for promoting the secretion of digestive juices that in turns enhances appetite
• Caron seed acts as an imperative antacid and anti-flatulence therapeutic substance thus its consumption is very much helpful for improving the health of alimentary canal. It is also associated with enhancing the secretion of digestive juices that subsequently improves hunger. Consumption of carom with lukewarm water at least once a day significantly improves digestive health as well as appetite

Try coriander

• Coriander is an important herb used for various culinary purposes. It offers several therapeutic advantages as well
• It is closely associated with improving the secretion of gastric juice, which helps in promoting digestion
• As it is responsible for preventing indigestion thus its consumption is thought to be very effective for inhibiting abdominal fullness that significantly improves appetite
• Coriander leaf extract or coriander seed extract can be consumed in empty stomach for enhancing appetite

Consumption of maple syrup

• Maple syrup is a sugary liquid basically prepared by the sap of maple tree

• Consumption of pure maple syrup is extremely effective for stimulating hunger
• On the other hand, consumption of maple syrup with added sugar is also associated with increasing the calorie intake that ultimately helps in weight gain
• It is better to add water to maple syrup to form a mixture, which should be then heated for some times followed by cooling. After that vinegar and lemon juice (freshly squeezed) can be added to the mixture. Consumption of such mixture about two tablespoon twice a day significantly improves appetite

Have ginger

• Ginger is an important spice used for various medicinal and culinary purposes and it is also considered as a great appetite stimulant
• It has seen that ginger plays imperative role in decreasing indigestion or bloating, which ultimately helps to prevent the feeling of stomach fullness hence improves appetite
• Ginger can be consumed with beverages. Dry ginger powder can also be consumed with water. Ginger juice can be consumed as well. It has seen that consumption of half teaspoon of ginger juice at least an hour prior to meals appreciably improves appetite

Focus on vitamin intake

• All vitamins should be consumed as per RDA but special consideration should be given to Vitamin B complex

• B vitamins are responsible for enhancing metabolism. They also help in releasing energy from foods and promote appetite as well
• Foods, which are rich in B vitamins, include – dairy products, poultry, meat especially liver and kidney, egg, fishes like tuna, salmon, mackerel etc, shellfish, citrus fruit, banana, whole grain cereals, chick peas, black beans, kidney beans, soybean, beet, avocado, potato, molasses, yeast, nuts and seeds, should be included in diet for improving appetite

Try Indian gooseberry

• Consumption of Indian gooseberry or amla is extremely useful for improving appetite as it is related with enhancing the functionality of digestive tract that stimulates hunger
• On the other hand it is considered as one of the richest sources of Vitamin C thus its consumption is very much helpful for promoting overall wellbeing. It helps to improve immune health too thus helps to decrease the susceptibility of developing infectious diseases, which are considered as one of the leading cause of poor appetite

Meal pattern

• Consumption of large meal is really a challenging task for those individual who have poor appetite thus it is always better to eat small amount of food in a frequent interval
• It is better to divide the large meals that mean if an individual used to consume three large meals per day then he or she should divide their large meals into 5 to 6 small meals. This type of meal pattern is extremely useful for improving appetite

• Once the appetite improves then individual can start increasing the amount of foods per meal or they can also add additional ingredients to the meal for increasing their daily calorie intake. For example if individual are eating vegetable sandwich then they can add cheese or minced fish or meat to the sandwich for increasing its nutritional value
• It has seen that individual with poor appetite generally consume empty calories, like ice cream, candy, baked goods, chips etc for gaining weight but it should be kept in mind that these type of foods do not provide enough nutrients to the body thus it is better to consume nutrient rich foods that not only provide calories but also provide essential nutrients to the body like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. For example individual can consume yogurt instead of ice cream and they can add some berries, honey and cinnamon to the yogurt for extra nutrients
• Consumption of healthy breakfast on a daily basis is very much important for increasing appetite. It has seen that skipping breakfast can lead to consume less throughout the day hence hinder appetite. Whereas consumption of healthy breakfast is associated with increasing thermogenesis, which helps to burn more calories all over the day as a result increases appetite thus it is better not to skip breakfast
• Individual should also limit the consumption of fluid or beverage before or during meals for promoting appetite

Consume lesser amount of fibre

• Consumption of fibre rich food is associated with delaying stomach emptying as a result provides a feeling of fullness that suppresses appetite thus it is better to consume a low fibre diet for improving appetite
• Though fibre in considered as an important food constituent of balance diet thus it should be taken in daily basis but individual with poor appetite should consume fibre in moderation

Physical exercise

Physical exercising plays imperative role in burning more calories that ultimately helps to maintain the normal energy balance of the body and also enhances appetite for replenishing the calorie burned

Individual can easily improve their appetite by familiarize themselves with the above sated measures.

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Burton-Freeman, B., 2000. Dietary fiber and energy regulation. The Journal of nutrition, 130(2), pp.272S-275S.

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Tiwari, M., Mukherjee, A. and Sardar, N., Fortification: A Remedy Against Hidden Hunger in India. Agri Mirror: Future India, p.57.