Don’t fall for drunchies
If binge drinking is unhealthy, so is the food people eat while drinking or the next day when, most likely, they’re hungover.
The insatiable desire or craving to eat salty, fatty, unhealthy foods during or after a night of heavy drinking – the “drunchy,” or drunk munchies may be very popular amongst the ‘fast food – alcohol obsessed’ but the consumption of more unhealthy foods following alcohol consumption is the most overlooked behavior in traditional addiction research.
Before you figure out what your ‘drunchies’ are? And then understand their health implications when combined with drinking, let’s understand what’s happening in the body that causes the drunchies?
It is believed that after drinking alcohol, the amount of blood glucose in the body can rise and fall which stimulates the brain to feel hungry. Also most drinkers don’t take enough water or other non-alcoholic beverages before going to bed. This often exacerbates dehydration, which could lead to additionally unhealthy food choices. Then there are some so-called ‘hangover cures’ that are taken believing they “soak up” alcohol.
Heavy episodic drinking, drunchies and myths around soak up cures – all make a sure shot recipe for weight gain.
While dispelling myths is only part of the solution, it is important we promote healthy eating with sensible drinking –and it’s possible – with a small decision of picking healthy foods with drinks – at least consume more nutrient dense options than falling for drunchies