Why do I crave sugar after each meal?
Signed,
Sweet and Salty
Hello Sweet and Salty,
I’d like to preface this column by clarifying that I’m not a doctor, a nutritionist, or a dietician. If you are concerned about your relationship with food, please, please, please go speak to a professional about it. This column is one person’s opinion and should not ever be taken as medical advice.
Therefore, I cannot tell why you specifically have cravings for sweets. I’d like to offer a couple of follow-up questions instead:
- Do you think your cravings are a problem?
- If you think that they are, what else is going on in your life?
There are many reasons why people crave sweets. Sometimes we’re still hungry because our meal wasn’t satisfying. Sometimes we associate sweets with a positive memory or emotion (like an accomplishment, comfort, or love), and we crave sugar as a shortcut to reaching that happy feeling. And sometimes our hormones are being nasty little jerks, and they make us feel hungrier than usual.
Food cravings alone aren’t a cause for concern unless you personally think they are a problem. (In that case, please talk to a doctor.) I know that there are plenty of debates online about sugar, refined sugar, natural sugar, and how much sugar we should have, and I have done my best to stay away from it because of my own past relationship with food. If you are really interested in the science around sugar and sugar substitutes, here is a video by a food scientist explaining it.
To put it simply, a few sweet treats here and there are not the end of the world.
But as with anything else, it’s not so simple. Food, like money, is a loaded subject, and we sometimes displace our feelings onto what we put on our plates. At one point in my life, I felt scared, out-of-control, and frustrated, so I spent a lot of time obsessing about what I ate, how much of it I ate, and how I could cut those portions down. Ultimately, I stopped doing that, but it wasn’t until I actively took steps to address the other issues in my life that my relationship with food improved.
So to backtrack to my earlier questions, the reason why you crave sugar after each meal isn’t all that important unless you say that it is. And if you’ve identified your eating habits as a problem, then the next step is to look around and see what else is going on in your life. Talk to a friend or a doctor or spend some time journaling about your relationship with food. Are you seeking comfort? Love? Validation? Does the food you eat truly satisfy you or not? Are you struggling in school or with your career?
There can be any number of reasons why you crave sugary food after meals, but the first step is to name what’s really bothering you. Then, it’s time to take the next step: addressing your concerns.
Good luck,
Ada
If you’re struggling with your relationship with food and need support right now, text NEDA to 741-741 or call NEDA’s helpline at 1-800-931-2237.
Featured Photo by Megan Bucknall on Unsplash.
