That's why you want to snack after dinner!

This is why you want to snack after dinner! If you understand why, it's also easier to resist. Sometimes we get a bit languid after eating a sumptuous dinner. Or we feel like snacking again after consuming a heavy meal. How can that be? Surely food is energy? Don't we get enough energy from a whole meal?

Especially if we have consumed a carbohydrate- and protein-rich meal (or if we have eaten too much), our body needs a lot of energy to digest it.

Our body then automatically creates a temporarily increased blood supply to the digestive system, causing slightly less blood/oxygen to be sent to the brain at that moment.

This causes a sleepy or 'pinkish' feeling. It is a sign that our body has already started the digestion process of the meal we have just consumed. Sometimes this even causes some heart palpitations for a while.

This is a logical consequence of a temporarily reduced blood supply to the heart. It then starts beating faster to increase blood circulation again so that the other organs also get enough blood and oxygen again.

And that's why you want to snack after eating! That's why you crave for sweet after meals. The body is asking for energy again, so to speak.

Nevertheless, try to resist these sweet cravings and rather have a piece of fruit. Or a cup of tea or coffee, which also works really well thanks to the caffeine/theine. Without sugar, of course!

If you really can't resist snacking, suck on a liquorice, peppermint or sour. But then leave it at that!

All in all, it makes perfect sense that our bodies crave sugar after dinner. Well. Do we also immediately know where the after-dinner ice cream comes from... ;-)

The above text previously appeared in the Balance book. The book is now sold out, but may still be available to order second-hand via the link below.

The Balance Book

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