Why does alcohol make you hungry?

Ever wondered why you get the munchies after a few? Us too.

If you’re curious why some people get drunk quicker than others, and why you end up eating more after a drink, then read on…

Why do I eat more after a drink?

It’s accepted that most people get hungry after a few drinks. But not everyone knows why. As it turns out – it’s a combination of factors.

He’s eyeing up your bag of crisps

1. Inhibitions

It’s one of the first reasons people drink alcohol – to relax. But that means that you haven’t got the same inhibitions as usual – stress and anxiety is reduced. But that also means you don’t feel anywhere near as guilty for having an extra-large pizza when you could’ve just shared a medium. Think we’ve all been there.

2. Science

Next, alcohol stimulates the hypothalamus – the bit in your brain that deals with things like body temperature, sleep rhythm, and HUNGER.

When the hypothalamus is triggered, we get hungry when we usually wouldn’t be – in particular, for unhealthy foods…

3. Blood pressure

Because alcohol is technically a poison, your body starts working to get it out of your system. The effort our body makes to process alcohol reduces its ability to keep your body’s sugar levels balanced. This drop in blood pressure may result in a sudden and strong carb craving – which explains why we not only get hungry when we drink, but why we crave carb-heavy food.

Alcohol contains a lot of calories, but like other liquid calories, it doesn’t fill you up the way food does. This isn’t unreasonable – if you’re relaxed, your healthy eating intentions will go out the window.

So there you have it! Next time you get the drunk munchies, you can bore your mates with why they’re happening.