Reason Why Some People Crave Sweets After a Meal

Jakarta – It seems like everyone has experienced a few hours after eating a heavy meal, either lunch or dinner, people usually "crave" sweets or snacks like dessert ice cream or a piece of chocolate cake.

While this habit may seem harmless, these foods can be loaded with sugar, fat, calories and harmful additives such as high fructose corn sugar, which has been linked to obesity and other conditions.

Experts reveal that there could be several reasons for these cravings, such as nutrient deficiencies, an unbalanced diet, stress, and certain chemicals in the brain.

Hunger and satiety are guided by the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which signal the brain when it's time to start or stop eating. However, the desire to eat can override these signals.

Rachael Richardson, dietitian and founder of Nutrolution, says that certain eating patterns may be to blame.

A hallmark of the keto diet, for example, is drastically limiting carbohydrates. Without it, we may find ourselves craving sugary, high-carb foods like sweets and sugar.

"People who follow the keto diet may crave something sweet to fulfill their nutritional needs," Richardson said. 

Lack of nutrient intake, such as carbohydrates, can also cause low blood sugar, making us crave sweets even more.

Richardson also said, if we consume sweets immediately after dinner, it could indicate a lack of vitamins such as zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Magnesium, for example, helps regulate insulin production and thus keeps blood sugar stable. Without enough magnesium, blood sugar can drop, leading to a craving for dessert.

Another reason is specific satiety (SSS), also known as 'stomach fullness'.

SSS is when eating certain foods becomes less enjoyable because it makes us feel full and uncomfortable, like we are stuffed.

However, eating other foods that we may rarely encounter, such as candy or cookies, is not associated with uncomfortable satiety, making us more likely to want to eat more.

Our taste buds become accustomed to foods consumed in rotation, but the variety of desserts makes us want to eat them more.

We may also crave sweets because chemicals that make us feel good are released into the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine.

Sugary foods activate the brain's reward system, called the mesolimbic dopamine system, which causes neurons to release lots of dopamine.

This tells the brain that the experience was positive, which reinforces the behavior every time we finish eating.

Allyson Brigham, a dietitian from Los Robles Regional Hospital in California, said: "Certain chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, are linked to mood. Sugary foods can trigger the release of serotonin, making you feel happier and more relaxed," explains Brigham.

"This may explain why people turn to sugary foods as a form of reward or comfort at the end of the day."

Eating sugar repeatedly at the end of the day can cause the brain to build up a tolerance and require more sweet foods to get the same rush of dopamine and serotonin.

"Over time, eating something sweet after dinner can become a habitual behavior. Our brains form habitual associations, and our bodies begin to expect these sweets as part of the evening routine," Brigham continues.

Stress and emotional distress can also lead to cravings for sugary desserts, as getting more serotonin can boost mood and reduce feelings of anxiety or depression.

Getting more nutritional variety at dinner can curb such cravings. 

"Make sure your dinner contains a balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats to increase satiety and reduce post-meal cravings," explains Brigham.

Richardson also recommends replacing candy or ice cream with sweet fruits, such as berries mixed with Greek yogurt or almond butter. These foods contain less sugar but are also rich in protein and fiber that will keep us fuller for longer.