There’s always room for dessert. No matter the meal that preceded it, the hankering for something sweet is reliably real. Maybe your go-to is a sneaky square of chocolate. Perhaps an indulgent scoop of ice cream. Or better yet, a refreshing glug of organic fruit smoothie (kencko anyone?) Whatever it is… there’s always room for dessert.

So what is it about dessert? Why can we never say no to a sweet course?

The first examples of the final course

Let’s harp back to the seventeenth century for a second. While America was finding its way and the UK was in the midst of civil war, in France, the word “dessert” was born. Dessert comes from the French verb “desservir”, which means to clear the table. After a hearty meal at court, etiquette dictated that napkins and tablecloths be changed before the final course of fruit. Et voilà, enter dessert.

During the eighteenth century, the delicate flavors of a fruit finale escalated into full blown sweet extravagance. It got so out of hand that certain hosts in the upper echelons of French society would present elaborate sugar sculptures of architectural scale – sometimes not even to be eaten. As time and technology (aka refrigerators) moved on, making pastries became simpler and desserts like almond cakes, cream puffs, and fruit tarts were available as a special treat even to the lower classes.

Let them eat cake!

France is also the catalyst of the well-known debate of cheese versus sweet, and if both, which comes first. Yes we Googled it, and no there is not one definitive answer. But this did lead us down the happy research rabbit hole of dessert culture around the world… Get a napkin ready, ‘cos the next paragraph might leave you drooling. 

Turkey is home to probably the sweetest sweets of the world. Anyone who has been to Turkey or tried Turkish food will know about baklava, which positively drips in honey or syrup. The Ottoman Empire heavily influenced the dessert scene in North Africa, where you can also find honey-soaked nuts and pastries. In South East Asia, you will find coconut milk in almost every pudding recipe, and mango sticky rice as a favorite in Thailand. Japan is known for liking their confectionary to be way less sweet than what we’re used to in the West. And in China, traditionally you could find yourself slurping down a savory red bean soup after your main.

In the U.S., we’re pie people and, frankly, we could talk all day about our favorite pies. But before getting lost in a candy-filled daydream, let’s take it back to science. What does science say about the dessert stomach? And when is the best time to eat sweet?

The science behind the ‘dessert stomach’

Desserts are typically high in sugar and fat. And before you pull a sad face, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sugar and fat are important parts of a balanced diet. The brain alone requires a minimum of 130g of glucose per day to function, and fat plays a critical role in hormone health and much more. For instance, it’s required for our body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Now you may be wondering why sugar and fat is what you crave at the end of a meal. Those ingredients specifically seem to wake up a little light bulb in your brain that says, “it’s dessert time”, even if you’re full. We asked Mallory, one of kencko’s Registered Dieticians, for the scoop:

“A couple of things are happening here. Firstly, when we eat sweet and fatty foods, the pleasure center of our brain lights up and we get a rewarding hit of dopamine. Over time, due to learnt associations of the sight, smell or even thoughts of these foods, we can experience a dopamine surge in anticipation of a yummy treat, which increases our desire to eat them even more.

Secondly, when talking about nutrition, satisfaction is an often forgotten piece of the mealtime puzzle. Satisfaction and fullness are two different things. You can build a completely balanced and nutritious meal that is full of proteins, fats, and carbs, and which leaves you feeling full by triggering hormones such as leptin or cholecystokinin that slow down hunger, but… if that satisfaction box isn't checked, you may still want that little something more.

Have you ever been craving ice cream for dessert, opted for a healthy handful of strawberries instead, but found yourself still wanting ice cream afterward? If you think about it, strawberries have a very different flavor and texture to ice cream so this makes sense. What you can do, is ask yourself what you really want from a meal or dessert. Think about the flavors, textures, and temperatures that would be the most nourishing and satisfying to you. If you are craving something creamy and sweet after dinner but want a healthier alternative to ice cream, consider something like frozen yogurt. This will provide similar textures and flavors, so it’s more likely to leave you feeling satisfied.” 

When should we be eating sweet?

When it comes to the optimal time for dessert, it’s fair to say that you should take your healthy main first so that your stomach is lined with nutrition going into your sweet. Eating sugary foods on an empty stomach can cause a rapid spike and crash in blood sugar levels, which can affect your mood and leave you feeling hungry again later on.

Dessert before bed gets a bad reputation as people often assume that digestion slows down when we’re asleep. In fact, Mallory says that our metabolism never stops. Our bodies are always working to take nutrients from what we consume. However, if you’ve undereaten throughout the day, the hunger hormone, ghrelin, has had time to accumulate. Then, when it comes to a dinnertime dessert, it is probably a good idea to pair it with protein or a good source of fiber for a more balanced blood sugar response. 

As mentioned, we’re big believers in listening to your cravings. So here’s permission to eat something naturally sweet whenever you want, so long as you’ve eaten some healthy fodder first. We recommend kencko as a naturally sweet and nutritious option to include at any time of day. And with fruit (and veggies) making up the majority of ingredients on our ingredients lists, you could call us the modern take on the French court’s fruit course! Merci. Fin.