{"id":38717,"date":"2024-01-16T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=38717"},"modified":"2025-01-27T23:03:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T23:03:23","slug":"dessert-stomach-how-to-detox-from-sugar-cravings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/dessert-stomach-how-to-detox-from-sugar-cravings\/","title":{"rendered":"Dessert Stomach: How to Detox from Sugar Cravings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dessert stomach may sound like a cutesy name for the oh-so-specific belly gurgle that follows a big \u2018ole bowl of ice cream. Or, like a byname for the bloat that inevitably follows sweets.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Actually, dessert stomach is a term that names the phenomenon of being completely full after dinner\u2026 but moments later feeling like there is room for a sweet treat, explains wellness expert Karen Thomson, founder of the The Sugar Free Revolution<\/a> and author of Sugar Free: 8 Weeks To Freedom From Sugar and Carb Addiction.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cWhile not medically recognized, it does encapsulate the common experience of feeling like you can still eat dessert despite having had dinner.\u201d Specifically, a substantial dinner that has left you feeling \u2018full\u2019, or like you\u2019ve eaten \u2018enough\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

But what is it about sweets that can make us feel hungry again? Ahead, learn what causes dessert stomach. Plus, the potential health benefits of forgoing a sugar-laden last meal and tips on how to do just that.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

The Causes of Dessert Stomach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Dessert<\/figure>\n\n\n

The sensations associated with dessert stomach are caused by emotional, psychological, social factors \u2014 they are not driven by physical changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

The human body has just one stomach, explains registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix<\/a>, RDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It<\/em><\/a>. The food you eat for breakfast<\/a>, lunch, dinner, and dessert all goes to the same place, she says. So, \u201cthere is not literally a separate stomach or separate portion of the stomach reserved for dessert.\u201d Further, the stomach is not literally augmenting its shape while you sit at the dinner table to make room for a sweet treat, she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Typically, people have dessert not because they have room for dessert, but for other reasons, according to Taub-Dix. \u201cSometimes people eat dessert because they see something that they want for dessert in their pantry or freezer, or on a dessert cart at a restaurant,\u201d she says. Other times, people have dessert because it is included in their meal and convince themselves it would be a waste of money and of food itself to go without it, she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is also common for people to have dessert simply because the people they are eating with are having dessert. Eating is an incredibly social activity in most cultures, explains Taub-Dix. As such, it is uncommon for part of a group to have dessert, while the other half abstains. Much more common is for everyone at the table to order something, she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes people simply have dessert because they are in the routine of having dessert,\u201d Taub-Dix says. Fact is, someone who grew up eating dessert after every meal is more apt to have dessert following dinner because they have become mentally and physically accustomed to believing that a meal is not done unless dessert has been had, she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n

Dessert Isn\u2019t Bad \u2014 But There Are<\/em> Perks To Cutting Out Sugar\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

No broad-sweeping claims can be bad about dessert being either bad or good. After all, the most healthy thing is consuming things in moderation. As Taub-Dix puts it, \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to have dessert on an occasion, but quite another to make a habit out of eating dessert or to eat it just because other people are,\u201d she says. That said, there are<\/em> some serious health benefits associated with reining in your dessert desert habit \u2014 as well as cutting back on sugar in general.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

How Sugar Works in Your System<\/h3>\n\n\n

Whenever you eat sugar, it immediately gets absorbed<\/a> into your bloodstream, causing your blood sugar levels to spike. In response, your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin whose function is to absorb the extra sugar (or glucose) in the body. Once insulin has done its job, your blood sugar levels drop back to their normal, pre-dessert level, Thomson explains. Therefore, when you eat sugar you get a sugar rush immediately followed by a sugar crash, which often leaves you feeling low energy, she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

So, when you stop eating (as much) sugar, you get off the sugar-induced energy roller coaster which helps reduce symptoms of sluggishness, lower energy, and poor mood. Indeed, \u201cone of the short term benefits of reducing sugar intake is more stable energy levels, improved concentration, and a general feeling of wellbeing,\u201d says Thomson.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Long-Term Sugar Reduction<\/h3>\n\n\n

Longer term reduced sugar intake is associated with even more benefits. \u201cPeople who consume less sugar have a reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease,\u201d says Thomson. Indeed, research has found time<\/a> and time<\/a> again that reducing sugar intake is associated with reduced risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Sugar and Inflammation <\/h3>\n\n\n

Sugar also has an inflammatory effect on the body, according to Taub-Dix. Per research published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Immunology<\/em><\/a>, excessive intake of dietary sugar leads to an increase in\u00a0pro-inflammatory proteins in the body (called cytokines), which can lead to chronic inflammation<\/a> as well as insulin resistance. On the flip side, \u201cwhen someone cuts out sugar they can help reduce systemic inflammation,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

A reduction in inflammation can be especially life changing for individuals with inflammatory conditions <\/a>like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, to name just a few. Though, even people without<\/em> inflammatory diseases can experience anti-inflammatory benefits <\/a>such as reduced fatigue, less joint pain and stiffness, improved cognitive function, and better gut health<\/a>, says Taub-Dix. That’s right, reducing your sugar intake can help improve your gut function. Sugar can disrupt the gut barrier, she says, which can cause<\/a> gut permeability which interferes with the gut function.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cPeople who cut back on dessert intake or sugar intake through other means, help decrease their risk for dental problems, improve their skin health, and support their weight loss<\/a> or maintenance goals,\u201d says Thomson.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Exactly How To Stop Desert Stomach and Cut Back On Sugar\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but while cutting back on sugar intake can offer some serious benefits, it won\u2019t be easy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cSugar impacts the brain\u2019s reward pathways similar to the way certain drugs do,\u201d says Thomson. \u201cIt triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which leads us to crave more and more of it.\u201d The addictive nature of sugar, combined with societal prevalence and emotional connections to food, makes reducing sugar intake a challenging task, she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

To make it easier, adhere to these tips:\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

1. Think About Your Dessert Habit<\/h3>\n\n\n

Given that people eat dessert for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with hunger, Taub-Dix says it can be helpful to think about the real reasons you eat dessert when you do. Awareness, as they say, is the first step towards change.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Flatter Me<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Ahead, some questions you might ask yourself to better-understand the reasons you personally eat desert and have dessert stomach:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n