The REAL reason why you crave sweets after eating…and what you can do to beat the craving

It’s a common pattern: A few hours after dinner you go back to the kitchen to get a bowl of ice cream or a piece of chocolate.

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

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

Hunger and satiety are determined by the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which tell the brain when it is time to start or stop eating. However, a craving for food can override these signals.

Rachael Richardson, nutritionist and founder of Nutrolution, told DailyMail.com that certain diets could be to blame. A feature of the keto diet, for example, is the drastic restriction of carbohydrates. Without it, you may crave carbohydrate-rich sweets such as candy and sugar.

“People on a keto diet may want something sweet to meet their nutritional needs,” she said.

Inadequate intake of nutrients such as carbohydrates can also lead to low blood sugar levels, leading to increased cravings for sweet snacks.

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Ms Richardson also said reaching for sweets straight after eating could indicate a deficiency in vitamins such as zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium.

For example, magnesium helps regulate insulin production and keep blood sugar levels stable. Without enough magnesium, blood sugar levels can drop, leading to dessert cravings.

Another reason could be sensory-specific satiety (SSS), also known as “dessert stomach”.

SSS is when eating a certain food is less enjoyable because it makes you full and uncomfortable. However, eating other foods that you may not eat as often, such as sweets or cakes, are not as strongly associated with the unpleasant feeling of satiety, making you more likely to want to eat more.

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The taste buds also get used to regularly eaten meals, but the variety of desserts increases the desire to eat.

You may also crave sweets because they release feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine in the brain.

Sweet foods activate the brain’s reward system, called the mesolimbic dopamine system, causing neurons to release a flood of dopamine. This tells the brain that the experience was positive and reinforces that behavior.

Allyson Brigham, a nutritionist at Los Robles Regional Hospital in California, says: “Certain brain chemicals like serotonin are related to mood. Sweets can trigger the release of serotonin, which can make you feel happier and more relaxed,” Brigham said.

“This may explain why people end up using candy as a reward or comfort.”

Repeatedly consuming sugar at the end of the day can cause the brain to build up a tolerance and require even more sweets to get the same dopamine and serotonin rush.

“Eating something sweet after dinner can become a habit over time.” “Your brain forms associations and your body begins to expect that sweet treat as part of your evening routine,” Ms Brigham said.

Stress and emotional stress can also lead to dessert cravings, as increased serotonin can improve mood and alleviate feelings of anxiety or depression.

Increasing variety in food can suppress these cravings.

“Ensure your dinner contains a balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats to promote satiety and reduce post-meal cravings,” Ms Brigham said.

Ms. Richardson also recommended replacing candy or ice cream with sweet fruit such as berries mixed with Greek yogurt or almond butter. These foods contain some sugar, but are also high in protein and fiber, which will keep you feeling fuller for longer.