Nutrition
Cephalic Phase Hunger Response
The cephalic phase hunger response primes digestion and appetite from food cues—smells, ads, and habit times—before true energy need appears.
The cephalic phase hunger response is digestive preparation triggered by sight, smell, and expectation of food—salivation, insulin priming, and appetite rise before the first bite. Kitchen exposure, food ads, and habitual snack times amplify wanting without true energy deficit.
Reducing cue exposure and eating from plates instead of open bags separate anticipation from need.
Common questions
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Is salivating when you smell food real hunger?
Often it is anticipatory physiology, not proof you need calories now. Pair the cue with a hunger check and time since your last balanced meal.
Related terms
Put Cephalic Phase Hunger Response into practice
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