Surprising: carbon dioxide makes you hungry

Water without bubbles? Most people don't like the taste: around nine billion liters of carbonated water are bottled in Germany every year, but only 1.8 billion liters of still water. Researchers have now discovered this: Carbon dioxide promotes the hunger hormone ghrelin.

Idee für mich
via Sabrina
09/20/2017, 13:35
Junge, blonde Frau trink ein Glas Wasser© iStock
So refreshing, yet carbonated mineral water stimulates our hunger.

The carbon dioxide was originally only added to the water to prevent it from going bad. This process was discovered by English researchers in 1770. The German Nutrition Society recommends mineral water as the ideal thirst quencher - with or without sparkling water.

Research

In fact, it doesn't really matter. Biologists at the Palestinian University of Bir Zait have now investigated how the carbon dioxide in water affects our eating habits. Conclusion: the tingling bubbles make people hungry. This is because carbon dioxide expands the stomach.

Hormone production

The cells that produce the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin are stimulated. They therefore produce more ghrelin - we get hungry.

Fountain of youth

Ghrelin also makes us happy. And according to new findings, it promotes the growth of new brain cells. It is also said to protect cells from environmental influences and slow down their ageing. Well then - cheers to carbonic acid!