We can all agree that one of the main focal points of the holidays is food. We stuff ourselves during the main course with mashed potatoes, gravy, ham, eggnog, salad, stuffing, turkey, and so much more until we are filled to the brim. Yet somehow, we always manage to find room for dessert. How can that be?
Professor Simon Erling Nitter Dankel, from the University of Bergen, has explored the phenomenon of the “dessert stomach.” He explains that it’s not just something that happens in our brains, there is actually something happening in the stomach. The digestive system and stomach “have sensors that react to glucose and sugar. This causes the stomach to expand…so you can eat more.” Interestingly enough, you don’t even have to smell or eat the dessert to expand the stomach, the expectation of dessert alone allows the brain and stomach to work together to make a little more room.
Norwegian nutritionist Mone Eli Sæland also explains that we often crave something sweet after meals as sweet is the taste experience we “tolerate” the most. Additionally, sugar can cause the contents of your stomach to empty more quickly, leaving you with room for more.
Some may be wondering then if sugar-free products would be a better alternative to trick the brain and body. However, the university professor says not necessarily. He says “sugar-free food can affect insulin regulation in the body and the metabolism.” So both regular sugar and sugar-free food can cause overeating. Sæland also adds that sugar-free food can cause a drop in blood sugar, increasing the feeling of hunger.
Because the brain and body allow us a “dessert stomach,” it can be tricky not to overindulge. Does that mean we should eat less of a main course in preparation for the dessert we will most likely have? Professor Dankel says no. It is more important to get the nutritional value from the meal. Therefore, we must be cognizant not to overindulge with the newfound knowledge we have of the “dessert stomach.”