Why does alcohol make you hungry?

Why do we flock to the snack bar after a night out to grab a quick bite? And why is an evening with beer or wine automatically accompanied by a cheese board, or a whole bag of chips? Drinking alcohol makes you hungry. Especially in unhealthy food, full of fats and sugars. Read here why a fruit salad is not enough after two glasses of beer.

That drinking alcohol leads to eating more calories has been scientifically proven by researchers from Health Psychology (the research journal of the Society for Health Psychology, part of the American Professional Association of Psychologists). They also investigated where the craving for high-calorie food comes from after drinking alcohol.

Vodka and chocolate chip cookies

60 women participated in this study into the relationship between alcohol and food. 30 participants were served a glass with vodka and soft drink. The other participants were only given a glass of soft drink with a layer of vodka sprayed over it. All test subjects thought that they were drinking a drink with vodka.

After drinking the drinks, the women were presented with a bowl of chocolate chip cookies. Each test subject was allowed to decide for herself how many cookies she took. The study showed that the ladies who drank the drink with vodka ate significantly more cookies than their fellow participants. The researchers concluded that the need for high-calorie food is greater after drinking alcohol. According to the scientists, the disinhibiting effect of alcohol also played a role in the test subjects who did drink vodka. As a result, the 'alcohol group' let themselves go more when eating the cookies.

Hypothalamus and Hunger

Alcohol stimulates the hypothalamus. This part of your brain has different tasks. It regulates your body temperature, sleep and wake rhythm, breathing, but also your feeling of hunger and thirst. Alcohol triggers the hypothalamus, which makes you feel hungry. Even when you are not really hungry at all.

Empty calories

Another reason why you get hungry after drinking alcohol is that although many alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, they are mainly empty calories. Empty calorie drinks contain no nutrients or minerals, while your body has to work hard to break down the alcohol. In order to get the blood sugar level back up to standard, there is a craving for carbohydrate-rich food. And so in fats and sugars. This immediately explains why it is difficult to lose weight and drink alcohol. Source: AD.nl

Have you already lost some kilos this Dry January? Now you know what could be causing this. And do you want to be able to drink alcohol again and stay in shape? Then read these tips.