Hunger (motivational state)

Hunger is a sensation experienced when one feels the physiological need to eat food. In contrast, satiety is the absence of hunger; it is the sensation of feeling full. Appetite is another sensation experienced with eating, however, it differs from hunger; it is the desire to eat food without a physiological need. The often unpleasant feeling of hunger originates from the hypothalamus releasing hormones that target receptors in the liver.