Feeling full and craving sweetness
According to Dr. Richa Chaturvedi, senior consultant in endocrine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India, one of the main reasons why we crave sweets after meals is a typical feeling of fullness. When you eat a salty meal, taste buds will be less sensitive to salty taste, but still react strongly to sweetness. Therefore, even after eating well, the craving for sweets still exists because sweetness can stimulate strong senses.
The brain's reward system
The brain plays an important role in sweet cravings. Eating foods high in sugar and fat will activate the reward system in the brain, releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. This increase in dopamine strengthens the desire to continue eating, even when the stomach is full. Desserts often contain a lot of sugar, causing the brain to receive strong, irresistible reward signals.
Revolutionary view
Dr. Richa Chaturvedi explains that from an environmental perspective, humans used to have limited access to high-calorie foods.
Therefore, consuming energy-rich foods like fruits and honey can help maintain survival.
Although food shortages are no longer a problem today, the body and brain are still programmed to look for high-calorie foods, especially after digestion.
Regulating blood sugar and the effects of hormones
When you eat a meal high in carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels increase, triggering the release of insulin to stabilize glucose levels. Then, blood sugar levels drop rapidly, causing cravings for sweets to rebalance.
Hormones such as ghrelin ( hunger stimulus) and leptin (set signals) also fluctuate after meals, creating mixed signals that make us crave dessert even though the body does not need more food.
Eating culture
In many cultures, dessert is an important part of meals, becoming an indispensable part of life.
In addition, childhood memories, such as sweets as a reward, can also promote sweet cravings even when you are full and into adulthood.
How to control sweet cravings
Dr. Richa Chaturvedi suggests that, to control sweet cravings, instead of overeating, you can try eating a small piece to satisfy without consuming too much sugar.
Choose fruit over processed dessert or drink a cup of warm tea as an alternative.
Practicing mindful eating, paying attention to real hunger and emotional stimulators will help you distinguish between real hunger and cravings.
