So Why Do I Crave Sugar After A Meal?

Biological Triggers

Blood sugar imbalance – Consuming a meal high in refined carbohydrates or simple sugars causes a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. The body responds by releasing insulin to bring them back to normal. Sometimes, this process overshoots, resulting in reactive hypoglycemia-low blood sugar levels. This drop triggers hunger and cravings, often for sugary foods that provide a quick energy boost. To manage blood sugar levels and reduce post-meal sugar cravings, opt for balanced meals that include a combination of complex carbohydrates, fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats. These foods help stabilize blood sugar.

Dopamine Release – the addictive qualities of sugar to that of addictive illicit substances. Sugar causes the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward in the brain. This dopamine release creates a positive sensation that reinforces the desire for sugar. Indulging in sweet treats after a meal results in a temporary surge of pleasure, which can lead to future cravings.

Habitual sugar snacks after meals – A pattern of ending meals with sweet indulgences can become a deeply ingrained habit. This routine forms an association in the brain.

Stress and sugar – Stress can contribute to post-meal sugar cravings thanks to the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol can influence your food preferences and even increase the desire for sweet and high-calorie foods as a means of emotional comfort. Stress is one of the biological triggers for post-meal sugar cravings that I find highly relevant, because it exacerbates the psychological triggers.

Sleep and sugar – Sleep deprivation, along with stress, is another powerful factor in post-meal sugar cravings. Inadequate sleep can disrupt your balance of hunger-regulating hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin. People that are sleep-deprived may experience an increase in appetite and cravings for high-reward foods, which are often those high in sugar and carbohydrates.

Psychological Triggers

Making Sugar “Off limits” Makes You Want it More – The concept of ‘permission to eat’ is a vital element in addressing the issue of sugar cravings after mealtime. If you forbid dessert completely, it psychologically makes you want it even more due to the scarcity.

Sugar after dinner can be emotional eating – Personally, I find that the desire for sweets after dinner is usually an indication of emotional eating. By the time dinner is over, I have had enough to eat for the day, so any cravings after that are likely stem from uncomfortable emotions rumbling around that need my attention.

Unsatisfying meals = Craving sweets after dinner – Satisfaction is an important factor in fullness, and if we don’t feel satisfied after a meal, we may compulsively seek more food even when we aren’t hungry any more. Fullness is a physical sensation while satisfaction is emotional – and we need both. Dissatisfaction can stem from lack of variety, flavor, or nutrient balance in the meal. For example, if you’re on a ketogenic diet (which limits carbs) and your meal consists of only veggies and protein, it would not be the least bit shocking to crave sweets after dinner. When a meal lacks carbs, your body will find a way to get what it needs (a balance of all macro-nutrients) through cravings.

4 Reasons You Crave Sweets After A Meal – Tips To Stop

You’ve finished your meal, maybe even cleaned your plate, but the meal doesn’t quite feel complete until you’ve had a little something sweet.

Sugar Cravings Explained – When sugar is metabolized, it activates the reward centers of our brain, releasing opioids and dopamine, and gives us pleasure.

1. It’s out of habit. – how to stop: the cue, the routine, and the reward. Your cue might be the conclusion of dinner, the time of day, or when you sit down to rest for the evening. Your routine is grabbing something sweet to eat. The reward varies from person to person and may be a surge of dopamine and pleasure, extra calories because dinner wasn’t enough, or feeling relaxed of de-stressed from your day.

2. You don’t eat enough. – In addition to fiber, protein increases satiety. Lack of sleep and stress.

3. You eat too fast. – When you finish a meal within a few minutes, you’ve just capped your own pleasure experience from eating. You’ll also feel more hungry after that 10-minute meal than you would if that same meal took you 30 minutes to finish. The majority of what we taste is based on our sense of smell, and when we “inhale” our food, we aren’t taking enough time to inhale all the aromas. That limits our ability to enjoy our food and derive pleasure from the eating experience (not to mention efficiently digest and absorb nutrients). Pace yourself at your meal.

4. You’re eating too many quick absorbing carbs. – Make sure you are eating enough fiber every day. Adding fat and protein to your meal or snack can also help.

Keep Moving Forward 😊 Sarah