Room for dessert? Absolutely. Always. No matter what. 

There’s always room for dessert, even when there isn’t. 

Following a large meal, we feel stuffed, full to the brim. Like we just ate the equivalent of an entire grocery store. The thought of another bite might send us over the edge; we can’t even think about another scoop of pasta or another fork of salad. And so surely we cannot stomach even the smallest of slices of cake or scoops of ice cream.  

Or so you might think. But actually, you might surprise yourself and take down more than a sliver of pie or crumb of a cupcake. We can’t help but think about a sweet treat after our feast. It’s like our brains don’t even register the fact that we’ve eaten such a large amount of food; we need something sugary. Immediately. Sometimes the craving is so intense, it feels out of our hands. Why do we crave sugar that fiercely?

There are some hypotheses as to why we itch for sweetness so badly. Some people say we have a ‘second stomach’ and that sweet foods aren’t recorded in our bodies the same way as the other, savory foods we consume. Despite that idea being super cool, we do not have a second stomach. 

How We Process Food 

There is a phenomenon called the ‘sensory-specific satiety’ or sensory boredom in simpler terms. It means that after a prolonged time- usually the time of eating a meal- of eating the same flavor profile and texture, your taste buds become tired and bored with the repetition, notifying your brain that you are now full. It’s essentially what tells us that we’re done eating now, that our bodies are fueled up again, and we can stop food consumption. 

However, when you introduce something new to the mix- such as a sweet thing- your brain restarts, coming to life again as if beginning anew. This phenomenon is called ‘hedonic hunger’ or ‘dessert switch.’ Hedonic hunger is when you begin eating for pleasure, not necessarily for fuel anymore.

So, why do we crave sugar? This is why. 

When the hedonic hunger kicks in, and you eat a sweet treat, your brain releases dopamine and endorphins associated with the sugar intake you just had. Our minds are hardwired to crave that good feeling dopamine gives us. We want that energetic and joyful feeling, and sugar- or glucose- releases the dopamine hormone in response to what we consume. The release of dopamine acts as a natural opioid, making the sugar craving all the more acute and on our minds more. We are reward-driven creatures. If something we do causes a positive response, we will keep doing it. Eating glucose promotes the release of the happy hormones, so we keep doing it. Sugar also spikes our blood sugar, which corresponds with higher cravings of whatever we are consuming. 

While our body has told our brain we are full, our brain doesn’t care; we want sugar.

Dessert Stomach 

Our hunger and fullness queues are controlled by Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons, which are hosted in a region in the brain called the hypothalamus. POMC neurons can signal to our brains that we are fed and full, but when it comes to sugary foods, it seems they “switch on sugar appetite, which drives overconsumption.” Meaning that the rules they apply to normal non-glucose foods, in terms of satiety, go out the door when sugar is introduced. 

A study done at the Max Planck Institute took a deep dive into how our brains function when we eat our meals. Taking a look at the POMC neurons and how they work, they don’t seem very reliable. The neurons, as stated, are meant to indicate when we are full to stop eating. However, when sugar is consumed, the POMC neurons release dopamine beta-endorphins- the happy hormone- instead, causing your body and mind not to feel hungry and instead want to consume more sugar. When we start eating dessert and no longer feel full, it’s not that we suddenly got more space, or grew another stomach. It’s because our mind is sending mixed signals. 

We see sugar and forget how to behave ourselves. 

Stomach relaxation, or ‘gastric accommodation,’ also plays a role in why we crave sugar. In a quick explanation, whenever you eat, your stomach has to relax and expand to make room, hence the name ‘gastric accommodation.’ Smaller and softer desserts take up less space, passing through your digestive tract more easily than savory foods. While you might not have a second stomach, you’re probably underestimating the size of the one you do possess. 

 Emotional Attachment

Needing a sweet treat post-meal isn’t just a psychological thing, though. Despite the mental math and seemingly uncontrollable craving we have towards desserts, there’s an emotional aspect to why we crave sugar. 

Desserts, like ice cream sundaes or cake, are often associated with happy memories and can provide comfort to us. They allow us to relive childhood moments of celebration or holiday affairs once more. Sharing a sugary treat after a meal with your friend or significant other is an experience that also brings us great joy and delight, aside from the neurons in our heads. 

So, next time you’re cutting yourself a slice of cake or scooping some ice cream after a big meal, make sure to pay extra attention to how your stomach feels, not just what your mind is telling you to feel. Indulge your sweet tooth! (Within reason)

Do you enjoy sugary foods? Let us know in the comments below!