Khaberni - Somehow, no matter how much we eat, it seems that there's always room for dessert. Why? What is the secret appeal of sweets that urges us to want more? Which is what the Japanese describe with the word "Betsubara", meaning "separate stomach".
Sweet foods strongly activate the reward pathways which weakens satiety signals
To answer this question, a research paper from the University of Bristol presented several scientific explanations that collectively lead to this conclusion.
According to "Study Finds", the explanation for the existence of room in the stomach for sweets starts with "gastric accommodation", where the stomach relaxes and expands; also, since desserts are soft, they don't require much effort to eat compared to more dinner.
On the other hand, dessert stimulates the reward system in the brain. Even after physical hunger subsides, "desire hunger" begins: as sweet foods activate the reward pathways powerfully, increasing desire and weakening satiety signals.
Timing
Moreover, sensory satiety makes the main dish less appealing, while the dessert renews the desire to eat more; and while it takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes for satiety hormones to become fully effective; social conditioning makes desserts available after the main dish particularly tempting.
The response to dessert also varies once it reaches the intestines.
Compared to foods rich in protein or fats, sugary and carbohydrate foods are emptied from the stomach quickly and require relatively less digestion, which contributes to the feeling of ease in eating them even when full.
Here, timing plays its role, as the signals between the intestines and the brain responsible for feeling full do not respond immediately.
Hormonal Change
Levels of hormones like cholecystokinin, GLP-1, and peptide YY gradually rise with food intake, and it usually takes between 20 and 40 minutes to create a lasting feeling of satiety.
Many decide on their dessert before this hormonal change completes, which gives the reward system room to influence behavior.
Restaurants, consciously or unconsciously, often offer desserts during this period.
