No matter how much we eat, there always seems to be room for dessert. This phenomenon is known in Japan as “betsubara”, meaning “a separate stomach.”
Hidden Reasons Behind Post-Meal Sweet Cravings
A study from the University of Bristol offers several scientific explanations for why sweets remain appealing even after a large meal.
Gastric Adaptation: The stomach relaxes and stretches during a meal, and soft desserts require little effort to eat compared to consuming more of the main course.
Reward System Activation: Sweet foods strongly stimulate the brain’s reward pathways. Even after physical hunger is satisfied, “desire hunger” kicks in, increasing craving and weakening satiety signals.
Sensory Satiety and Timing: While the main dish becomes less appealing after a while, dessert renews the sensory appeal. Satiety hormones take 20–40 minutes to fully signal fullness, giving sweets a window of opportunity to trigger appetite.
Digestive Speed: Sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods empty from the stomach faster than protein- or fat-rich foods and require less initial digestion, making them easier to eat even when feeling full.
Hormonal Changes: Hormones like cholecystokinin, GLP-1, and peptide YY rise gradually during a meal. Many people decide whether to eat dessert before these hormonal signals fully kick in, allowing the brain’s reward system to dominate.
Restaurants often serve desserts intentionally or unintentionally during this window, taking advantage of these physiological and psychological mechanisms.
In short, the combination of gastric adaptation, reward system stimulation, digestion speed, and delayed satiety signals explains why dessert can always find its way onto our plates.
اضافة اعلان
