History Main / HyperactiveMetabolism

[[folder:Film - Animation]]
* WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}: Julieta's gift is the ability to make healing foods, which she uses those abilities to help out the people in the village. Most of the other time, she often heals her accident-prone husband Agustín, which was pretty much how they ended up getting married prior to the film.

* Played straight in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Unicorn and the Wasp". The Doctor is poisoned, and his [[BizarreAlienBiology Time Lord physiology]] enables him to neutralize the poison with a combination of various salts and proteins. Of course it just looks like he's gobbling everything he can find in the kitchen.

* Most ''Zelda'' games since ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' have milk as one of the earliest healing items you encounter. Later games have soup and, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', ''bee larvae.'' In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap,'' there's a bakery that sells bread that restores your health. The more expensive treats heal you more. ''Minish Cap'' is also the first ''Zelda'' game since ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' to feature a traditional, RPG-style TraumaInn.

** Still played straight in a different way. Eating a lot of food in a short time will make your character fat (in this case a good thing since your projectiles also become fat, increasing their damage). You return to normal in less than a minute if you don't keep eating.

* In ''LightNovel/TheFruitOfEvolution'', Rurune the donkey is a similar case to Goku; when she's full, she's a physical ''juggernaut'' capable of SuperStrength, SuperSpeed and [[ElementalPunch magically enhanced kick attacks]]. As she gets hungrier though, and she [[BigEater gets hungry very quickly]], she grows correspondingly weaker. The first major depiction of this trait is in volume 3, chapter 10 of the light novel, where she is at first only able to trot sluggishly along in a race due to being hungry. Chowing down on a Fruit of Evolution, which [[SupernaturallyNutritiousAndDelicious instantly states hunger completely]], imbues her with the ability to immediately catch up to the other racers -- who were halfway around the track at that point -- dodge through a pack of powerful wolf monsters, ''oneshot'' the alpha wolf monster in passing, and then win the race ''effortlessly''.

* In the manga adaptation of ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', Garou immediately recovers from the injuries he sustained fighting a bunch of Heroes by quickly consuming all of the meat (presumably for protein and energy) and salad dishes (presumably for vitamins and fiber) at a diner and washing it all down with a lot of water.

* In ''VideoGame/ShawsNightmare'', there are various foods like maize, bread, and meat that restore your health.

* ''VideoGame/Prey2017'': Food and water from drinking fountains or taps restores a small amount of health, some restore psi points.

* ''TabletopGame/CriticalRoleTaldoreiCampaignSetting'':
** An optional character feature presented in the book is called Rapid Drinker, and as the name suggests, it allows you to rapidly chug a drink in the middle of combat while still having an action to throw daggers, cast spells, or run at full speed without a second thought.
** An optional rule in this book allows every character in a setting to chug drinks on their turn without spending an action, allowing characters to fight without any encumbrance from drinking copious amounts of healing potions. The rule is explicitly meant to make healing potions useful for games with a large enough number of players that drinking that potion may be one of two or three actions you take in combat, making rapid mid-combat chugging an AcceptableBreakFromReality.

[[folder:Sports Games]]
* ''[[VideoGame/BackyardSports Backyard Basketball]]'' has 110% Juice.
[[/folder]]

* The ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' games had you recover health by eating rations up to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. In ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Snake Eater]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps Portable Ops]]'' more conventional first aid is used to recover health. Rations and other food are used in an arguably more realistic fashion as a means to recover stamina. Food that is kept too long will go bad. Spoiled or poisonous food will make you sick and deplete your stamina. This can be avoided by using long-lasting food such as rations or keeping captured animals alive in cages so their meat doesn't spoil.

** ''Snake Eater'' also includes a "taste" mechanic - the more Snake eats a particular food, the more health and stamina it restores, suggesting he starts enjoying it better. For example, when he first tries scorpions, he hates them and they make his stomach hurt. The more he eats them, the more his negative voice lines change to positive ones and the more stamina they restore.
** ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots Guns of the Patriots]]'' takes this to a ridiculous extreme; instant noodles heal all of Snake's health... uh, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin instantly]], and rations do the same but can also be equipped to restore your health if it's reduced to zero. Old Snake can eat, digest, and heal to perfect health from a ration pack ''in the time it takes him to die from being shot''.

** Rare rotten eggs appear in ''[=RE5=]'' if you eat them don't expect it to help matters.

* The primary method of health restoration in ''VideoGame/Postal2'' is by eating food. There are also medkits, which are naturally more effective than food items, but they can't be picked up and brought with you when you need them. The best healing items are crack pipes, which instantly boost you 25 points above the normal maximum once smoked, but after a few minutes, you lose that bonus from withdrawal unless you smoke another one. Additionally, if you have boosted your health you can't pick up more food.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', while Alex does have a HealingFactor, he gains health back ''much'' faster by [[ImAHumanitarian eating people]] and his HealingFactor can only heal him up to half of his max health. More powerful victims like Hunters and Leader Hunters restore a huge chunk of his life bar when eaten. A rare example where [[JustifiedTrope it makes perfect sense]], as [[BizarreHumanBiology Alex's anatomy is nothing like a human's and most likely can directly replace the missing/damaged parts with the absorbed biomass]].

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' gives [[TheBigGuy the Heavy]] a "weapon" called [[http://www.steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/sandvich.htm the Sandvich]]. The Heavy has an unlimited supply of them and they restore 300 health per use, though the Heavy gets so enthralled with eating his delicious edible device that he becomes vulnerable to attack while eating it. He can also throw it on the ground (complete with a plate), which heals whoever picks it up for 50% of their max health. Instantly. Apparently [[HealThySelf stepping on the Sandvich is good enough]] when it comes to healing.

* All ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'' entries had food as healing items. Starting with Zoktai (''Boktai 2''), all food items had a freshness meter that wears down over time. At least in the early going, fruits and meat had a strong effect but ran the risk of growing stale (which could still be consumed, but had a much weaker effect AND made you sick [[InterfaceScrew messing up the screen whenever you moved]]), whereas potions had a lesser effect but never went bad.
** ''[[VideoGame/{{Boktai}} Lunar Knights]]'' expounded on this further by allowing you to "process" items based on the local weather. Carrying meat around on a hot, low-humidity day caused it to dry out, for example, which not only made it more effective but also prevented it from going bad in this new state. Likewise, soda could freeze into popsicles when the temperature went sub-zero. Chocolate also melts when enough time passes, and as it does so, it combines with whatever item you have in the inventory slot below it: most items only end up producing chocolate-covered versions of the original item which would never go bad (though all chocolate sealed items had the same appearance so you would have to remember what item was in what chocolate blob), but some of them become a lot more effective this way, such as fruit and milk (the latter turning into milk chocolate).

* While ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' doesn't have food items that restore health, eating a meal in Guardia Castle will allow you to fully restore your HP, MP, or both. Drinking "special water" in 65 Million BC does the same.
** Also contains an inversion, to emphasize what a CrapsackWorld the AfterTheEnd time period is like, you are always given the message: "But you're still hungry..." after being healed by the machines.
** The above gets a ShoutOut in ''VideoGame/ChronoCross''.

* ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' includes soy food, soda cans, candy bars, and at least three kinds of alcohol as various small but noticeable health restoration, on top of actual medical equipment. It's explained that Denton's nanites process the food instantly. A bottle of wine or vial of illegal drugs (that do not increase your health), for instance, would have your targeting reticule wavering in a circle for about ten seconds, with more amplifying the effect.

** In ''VideoGame/FableI'', a player would think nothing of [[http://www.dansdata.com/fable.htm eating a hundred carrots in the middle of a battle]].

** The ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Sorrow]]'' series, as well as ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Portrait of Ruin]]'' have rotten food items, and sometimes downright poisonous foods available to be picked up, though these would hurt you to eat them (some to an insane degree; apparently spoiled milk will have you hanging onto life by a thread). The Ghoul soul will let you eat rotten foods and still get healed.

# Eating (and sometimes even drinking) heals you, rather than just filling you up and giving you some energy. In many games, food is the primary medicine/recovery system of choice. If other healing items are present, however, food is usually a lesser healing item, only healing a few points, while more potent medicines, [[HealingPotion potions]] and first-aid kits heal much more. Usually.

# It seems that the proteins and iron present in meat are the best medicines around. Chocolate bars and carrots may patch up grazing [[OnlyAFleshWound flesh wounds]] and small lacerations, but pork chops, whole turkeys and entire barbeque roasts will stop arterial blood loss, heal punctured lungs and bring you back from the brink of death.

* In ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'', the Corn Juice items provides Ann with instant recovered health instead of using a [[GradualRegeneration regenerative effect]] as Stim Shots.

* ''VideoGame/SydneyHunterAndTheCurseOfTheMayan'': One way Sydney can recover lost health is eating pineapples. You can also purchase meals from the merchants in the game to increase his LifeMeter.

** And in the Japanese version, it turns out the stamina-raising items were entire bags of high-quality rice. Now picture the heroes eating an entire bag worth of rice with natto.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', eating food restores health, while drinking various liquids restores {{mana}}. A few restore both, or grant other effects like temporary stat bonuses or a chance to burp flame in combat. Eating food and drinking liquids takes place over time and requires your character to sit and do nothing but eat and drink while drinking potions is an instant effect with an animation. Note that healing magic also exists in the game, and classes without mana obviously have no need to drink; thus the need for these items varies depending on your character.

** Get too drunk and mobs look to be a few levels lower than they actually are, what's the tuff guy? That 30-foot giant wants to pick a fight and you're the same level? Sure go for it.

* Although the game ''VideoGame/{{N}}'' does not have food, it does explain the ninja as having a hyperactive metabolism, thus explaining the [[TimedMission 90 second time limit]] on all levels. This metabolism is handled a different way, however: collecting gold grants 2 extra seconds to the time limit apiece, explained as a rush of joy which contributes to well-being.

* ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' has the player buying food from vendors around the world and feeding them to either Sonic or Chip. It's a little off the trope as Sonic does not gain health from doing so (Day stages operate under traditional Sonic logic of holding onto rings to survive, while the Werehog has a more conventional health bar refilled by other means), but instead gives him experience points to go towards upgrading the abilities of both forms. The trope kicks in when it becomes clear there is no limit, and Sonic can just scarf down a chili dog, some jelly, two apples, a bowl of elasticated ice cream, a massive steak, a ''mega-massive'' Hero Sandwich and much more besides, without issue. Must be all that running. Chip can also be fed these food items without penalty, for a little description on how they taste as well as making him like Sonic more - and at least in his case, his BigEater status is justified, [[spoiler:seeing as he's the Light Gaia and all]].

* ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' series. Garlic is apparently the heal-all substance for Wario, even when your source of garlic is roughly equivalent to 'beat up enemy by shaking them to make them drop a three foot by three foot clove of garlic that heals instantly'. Garlic is more or less the EvilCounterpart to Mushrooms, it seems.

* ''VideoGame/DanganronpaRPG'': All of the items that heal HP are food, and drinks heal SP. Most of them are very strange foods such as chocolate chip covered jerky or alcohol-free wine. The LimitBreak bar is filled by biscuits.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' this trope is played straight as all food now restores health. This is especially true at the beginning of the game as food is easily obtainable for free, while the player likely hasn't accumulated enough stuff to make the food's poor weight to healing ratio a [[CriticalEncumbranceFailure problem]]. Because food is eaten instantaneously from the menu screen, many players will do things such as ingesting 30 entire wheels of cheese in the heat of battle.

* {{Exaggerated|}} and PlayedForLaughs in ''Red Solstice 2: Survivors'': healing items are usually medical supplies, such as medkits, which heal players over time. The full effect of a medkit takes thirty seconds, and will usually restore a bit under half of a player's health. "Magnum" Pizza, however, is an item which can be rarely found that will instead ''fully heal a player in a few seconds'' on use and immediately clears all negative effects, meaning pizza in ''Red Solstice 2: Survivors'' can neutralize any venom, completely prevent exsanguination, fix all of your bone fractures and completely cure you from the brink of death in moments.

* The ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' games had you recover health by eating rations up to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. In ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Snake Eater]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps Portable Ops]]'' more conventional first aid is used to recover health. Rations and other food is used in an arguable more realistic fashion as a means to recover stamina. Food that is kept too long will go bad. Spoiled or poisonous food will make you sick and deplete your stamina. This can be avoided using long-lasting food such as rations or keeping captured animals alive in cages so their meat doesn't spoil.

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestBuilders'' and [[VideoGame/DragonQuestBuilders its sequel]] use a similar system as ''Minecraft'', using a hunger bar which grants RegeneratingHealth with a full stomach. Some foods, however, can also be used to instantly restore HP.

* In the [[VideoGame/SaintsRow1 first]] [[VideoGame/SaintsRow2 two]] ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' games, you can instantly restore your health in single player by eating fast food in the middle of combat. In the multiplayer for the first game, you can eat a hamburger to restore your health, but the healing doesn't happen until you've spent some time in cover without receiving damage.

* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', the "Slayer" Schools of magic -- Dragon Slayer Magic, Devil Slayer Magic and God Slayer Magic -- are able to [[FeedItWithFire consume elemental energies]] for healing, augmenting physical abilities and replenishing mana. These schools are divided into subschools based on which precise element an individual can manipulate, and thus eat, although there are rare Dragon Slayer Mages who are able to consume two different kinds of element. The most notable example is, of course, the protagonist Natsu Dragneel, whose Fire Dragon Slayer Magic style lets him consume flames. Other notable practitioners are Gray Fullbuster, who practices Ice Devil Slayer Magic, the Iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel Redfox, and the Sky Dragon Slayer Wendy Marvell.

* WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}: Julieta's gift is the ability to make healing foods, to which she uses those abilities to help out the people in the village. Most of the other time, she often heals her accident-prone husband, Agustín, which was pretty much how they ended up getting married prior to the film.

* Barry Allen of ''Series/TheFlash2014'' has this, due to the fact that his SuperSpeed essentially extends to the cells in his body, greatly increasing the rate at which he metabolizes food. As a result, he NeverGetsDrunk[[note]]Except for the time Caitlin made him an [[GargleBlaster extremely strong alcoholic drink]] and even then, he was only buzzed for a few seconds[[/note]] and is physically required to be a BigEater, as a normal meal would fail to satisfy his nutritional needs.

* In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', the Contract Clause "Gluttonous Feast of Health" allows this. It works especially well if your character has access to particularly hearty, abundant fare, or eats for at least three hours, or better yet both.

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Lampshaded when Ellen and Nanase are playing ''VideoGame/FableII''. [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp/?date=2009-12-01 "And we can use pies to keep our HP up!"]] Sure enough, after the fight the character is almost spherical. Celery will fix that, though.

# For as long as you're at full health, you don't need to eat at all. Some games will let you [[BlackHoleStomach eat as much as you want even when you don't need health]].

# For as long as you're at full health, you don't need to eat at all.

* ''VideoGame/SydneyHunterAndTheCurseOfTheMayan'': One way Sydney can recover lost health is eating food.

* The ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' games had you recover health by eating rations up to ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2 MGS2]]''. In ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater MGS3]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps Portable Ops]]'' more conventional first aid is used to recover health. Rations and other food is used in an arguable more realistic fashion as a means to recover stamina. Food that is kept too long will go bad. Spoiled or poisonous food will make you sick and deplete your stamina. This can be avoided using long-lasting food such as rations or keeping captured animals alive in cages so their meat doesn't spoil.
** The sequels play with the trope a fair bit: the second game establishes that rations taste fairly terrible, and in ''[=MGS3=]'' rations restore very little stamina in contrast to 'real' foods like instant noodles.
** ''[=MGS3=]'' plays with this trope quite a bit in that Snake can recharge the batteries on his equipment by eating glow-in-the-dark mushrooms. It's possible to radio your support team about this interesting development, but they all think you're just crazy.
** ''[=MGS3=]'' also includes a "taste" mechanic - the more Snake eats a particular food, the more health and stamina it restores, suggesting he starts enjoying it better. For example, when he first tries scorpions, he hates them and they make his stomach hurt. The more he eats them, the more his negative voice lines change to positive ones and the more stamina they restore.
** ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots MGS4]]'' takes this to a ridiculous extreme; instant noodles heal all of Snake's health... uh, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin instantly]], and rations do the same but can also be equipped to restore your health if it's reduced to zero. Old Snake can eat, digest, and heal to perfect health from a ration pack ''in the time it takes him to die from being shot''.

** There's also the vaunted Senzu Beans, which recovers your strength, heals all wounds, and fills you up for days. They end up HoldingBackThePhlebotinum when [[BigEater Yajarobe]] eats a whole bunch of them during the Demon King Piccolo saga and the team can only get enough for one major heal per saga afterwards.

->''"In a rather morbid study, Canadian researchers observed thousands of people for 12 years, carefully noting when they kicked the bucket. Not surprisingly, the super-obese subjects died first, proving once and for all that all the video games where you gain more health as you foeat more are not scientifically accurate."''

->''"In a rather morbid study, Canadian researchers observed thousands of people for 12 years, carefully noting when they kicked the bucket. Not surprisingly, the super-obese subjects died first, proving once and for all that all the video games where you gain more health as you eat more are not scientifically accurate."''

** ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand''[='s=] figurine gallery includes figs of every food item in the game, showcasing that there are ''a lot'' of them.

-->''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXv4vsbIMts Oh my God there's CAKE in here!]]''