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We now know that hunger makes loss of patience. But is it true if women are more easily angry when hungry than men?
So what happened?
"We have long been aware in science that hunger makes people irritable," says Sophie Medlin, a nutrition and diet professor at Kings College London.
"When our blood sugar drops, cortisol and adrenaline increase in our bodies - the hormones that determine our instinctive response."
This then affects our brains. That's because neuropeptides, which are secreted by neurons, control chemicals in our brain. "What triggers hunger is the same as that which triggers anger and rage and impulsive behavior, so that's why you get the same response," he said.
All of us have experienced the frenzied anger as a hollow sensation from the starving bites in our stomach, but often portrayed in mainstream media it is more common in women than men.
The article on "anger of hunger" is often illustrated by shouting, stressful women. And it was also supported by American Chloe Kim's American snowboarder during the winter Olympics last month.
"I wish I had finished my breakfast sandwich but I stubbornly decided not to," wrote the gold medalist. "And now I'm getting hungry because I'm hungry."
So, are women more vulnerable to this suffering? "Not at all," said Medlin. "It can happen to anyone and maybe in terms of neuroscience is actually more likely to occur in men than women."
In fact, interestingly, men have more receptors for neuropeptides, the chemicals that affect your brain, he explained.
The chemicals "are affected by things like estrogen fluctuations, so it's possible that some women are upset at different times in their cycle," Medlin said.
But "biochemically, in neurological terminology, men are far more likely to experience it than women". That's because higher testosterone levels are combined with more receptors for neuropeptides.
Ultimately, women's view of being hungry for hunger may be another incarnation of the prevailing gender stereotypes, including the stigmatization of men who express their feelings.
"Perhaps [men] have not felt able to talk about the emotional connection they have with eating and hunger and maybe that is why it is assumed that the hunger for being hungry is female in nature, but of course, it belongs to all humans," Jess Fostekew said.
"Everyone has a pretty complicated relationship with food," said Sophie Medlin.
'Being hungry' can also have a real impact on your personal relationships - as shown by a 2014 study that found that low blood glucose levels are associated with greater aggression among married couples.
Participants were asked to jab a spinning needle into the 'voodoo doll' that was representative of their partner in their angry response. In addition to this, an angry couple will sound loud through headphones worn by their unfortunate partner.
Blood glucose levels were measured throughout the experiment. Perhaps not surprisingly, "participants with lower glucose levels thrust more needle spun onto voodoo dolls and sounded louder and longer sounds."
How do we avoid the anger of hunger? "It depends on the distance of your next meal," Medlin said.
"Ideally you want something that will raise your blood sugar level a bit and keep it at that level, so some kind of savory carbohydrate snack is the best choice to consume."
