Humans Are 'Programmed To Always Have Room For Dessert' Say Scientists

Cake anyone?

Written byAbigail Meadow
Published on
Read time2 min read

My belly will always have room for dessert - so this news doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but now that scientists have said we always have room, it must be true!

Christmas has just finished and January cleanses have commenced and we're all hiding away from the few selection boxes we've got left.

But, my child, don't be afraid if your stomach is still eager to be filled with dessert after your avo salad for dinner, as scientists have said we're programmed to always have room for dessert.

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Professor Barbara Rolls, from Penn State University in the US has researched the topic over the last 40 years and found that something called sensory-specific satiety is the reason that - no matter how full we might feel - we can always squeeze in a bit of cheesecake, according to the Daily Mail.

The theory is that it's all down to evolution. Over time our bodies have limited our appetite for eating the same food, to encourage us to eat a varied diet with plenty of nutrients.

Reseach has shown that we can grow tired of eating the same food item over time, but our apetites will switch if we are introduced to something new. For instance, if you're eating a juicy burger (veg, obvs it's Veganuary) and you then start eating ice cream.

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Professor Rolls told the Daily Mail: "The decline in pleasure you derive from food is specific to the food you have been eating, or other foods that are similar".

"So, while you might lose your appetite for that food, a different food will still be appealing. That's why you always have room for dessert."

So don't be too shocked the next time you manage to squeeze in that slice of lemon cheesecake, you can just live happily knowing it's evolution that has trained your body that way. Now excuse me while I find my final selection box ready for after dinner.

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