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I wonder how much of hunger is an emotionI don't know what the scientific definition of emotion is (wikipedia seems to suggest there is no real consensus), but I am inclined to believe that at least part of the hunger process is an emotion, as it calls one to action, and it involves a desire for food. Rational thinking, typically seen as a contrast to emotions, does not do involve either.
And to phrase myself differently: I've noticed that I do sense hunger, as in all the sensory aspects of hunger (an empty stomach, consequences of low-blood sugar), but I don't feel hunger (the discomfort of having an empty stomach or low blood sugar, the craving for food). The latter feels more like an emotional aspect to me.
Interesting link to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex - it's not like my experience, but it reminds me of a few people I know.
> This can be incredibly debilitating because these people end up having to rely on “rational” thinking only and can take incredible amounts of time to make what seems to be a simple decision.
This makes a lot of sense to me for a number of reasons. There is nothing in rational thought that immediately calls to action. Yes, you can use it to reason and figure out truths and what you really want to do, but underlying all that is an emotional foundation of what you want. Without emotion, without wanting, rationality can give truths without leading to conclusions of what to do with those truths. There also is probably less of a sense of urgency without emotions, so one can take their time to weigh all the options (even though there might not be any time).