Why do ice cream make you thirsty?

Have you ever noticed that when you finish an ice cream cone, the feeling of thirst appears? All the sugar in the ice cream makes the head spin and the back of the mouth dry.

Ice cream is supposed to be refreshing, especially in hot weather, so feeling dehydrated immediately after eating it is a bit confusing. So it is not a good idea to try to hydrate ourselves through these types of cold products, but with a good dose of sugar. In fact, you may have noticed that right behind the ice cream counter is a cooler full of water bottles. So what is going on here? Are there really any chemical reactions at play?

Chemical reactions in the brain

Research shows that eating something sweet causes the liver to release a hormone (FGF21). Once that hormone reaches our bloodstream, it travels to the hypothalamus and tells the brain that we are thirsty. Interestingly, drinking alcohol will stimulate this same reaction between the liver and the brain, as will a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet such as the ketogenic diet.

It is the same sensation that occurs when having a glass of milk with cookies or a piece of cake. At one point, the body is trying to balance all that sugar it just ingested. However, sugar may not be the only ingredient to blame for the intense thirst that grows when you finish eating sweet, refreshing ice cream. Salt is typically used to make ice cream, and it can also make us dry and increase the desire to drink multiple glasses of water. That said, the mechanism by which candy triggers thirst is not the case with salt and its ability to make one eagerly reach for a glass of ice water.

So no, the thirst after ice cream is not in your head; Rather, it is in your blood and brain, and sugar and salt activate all the signals.

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Drink hot or cold water after ice cream?

When we take something extremely we cold tend to trigger the nerves of the soft palate (the back of the upper jaw) and this leads to the famous headaches by eating ice cream or migraine attacks. Because the ear, nose, and throat are interrelated, ice cream can sometimes trigger an attack of pharyngitis in which the upper part of the throat becomes infected, causing a sore throat accompanied by an earache. To try to avoid this, drinking a glass of water at room temperature after ice cream is a good idea to avoid dental and throat problems.

However, the proper water temperature is a personal preference. Room temperature water is of no benefit, so everyone can continue with whatever is most comfortable for them, except when they have a sore throat. In that case, it is recommended to gargle with warm or hot water with or without salt because it is relaxing.