Hi, I'm Earl. Product Manager at Eating Sugar Does Not Satisfy Hunger
On Thursday, the track team held a “dollar day.” Dollar day is when every member of the team brings one dollar to pitch into a pool of money that is used to buy a refreshing treat—usually ice cream bars—as a prize for all the hard work we have accomplished throughout the week. Before any cynics point out the irony in athletes eating ice cream right after practice, I would like to point out that dollar day only occurs once or twice every season. Thus, the mantra of “all things are good in moderation” holds true.
So I was talking to a friend when I asserted that by eating ice cream bars, we would only get more hungry; track practice usually produces torrential bouts of hunger because by the time we’re done with practice, our stomach is nearly completely empty. Surprisingly, someone rebutted my statement, pointing out that my logic is flawed. After all, ice cream is food, and when food goes in the mouth, food satisfies the stomach! Well, in a sense, what that someone said is true. However, shortly after eating an ice-cold, creamy, and sweet ice cream bar, hunger will undoubtedly strike again.
The reasons behind food-induced hunger include hormonal disruption and blood sugar level changes. In a WSJ article, Louis J. Aronne, author of a diet book called “The Skinny”, claimed that “refined carbohydrates and foods with high sugar and fat content promote ‘fullness resistance’.” Essentially, these simple carbohydrates, which includes sugar and fat-loaded ice cream, prevents the body from telling the brain that a person is full. Consequently, even after eating an ice cream bar, the track team would not feel any more satisfied than prior to eating the ice cream.
More importantly, sugar raises blood sugar levels. When the blood sugar levels are high, insulin is released to reduce blood sugar levels. After the blood sugar level is lowered back to normal, the sensation of hunger returns, perhaps even stronger because the body will notice a change.
On a side note, the picture above is of a bag of cactus honey powder. I found it in my mom’s apartment while I was in New York. Basically, the powdered honey acts like sugar; I sprinkled some on a bowl of greek yogurt.
