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.