If post-meal cravings feel intense and come back often, you may want to take a closer look at how you eat and prep your meals. You just had a full lunch, your taste buds are satisfied, and you know you have eaten enough. But after a while, you get that nigglon urge to snack. This sudden hunger after eating is not always about boredom, stress eating or poor self-control.ALSO READ: Feeling sluggish on a new diet? Diabetologist explains why it happens and when it’s normalDo you feel hungry immediately after eating? (Picture credit: istockphoto)The actual reason may not be in your mind or a lack of willpower, but rather in your physiology, specifically the way your blood sugar behaves after you eat a meal.In a conversation with HT Lifestyle, Dr Varun Suryadevara, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist at Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, shared why sudden hunger after eating may be linked to blood sugar fluctuations.Why do you feel hungry right after you eat?Avoid oily, carb-heavy foods which result in insulin spike after eating. (Freepik)This premature hunger is rooted in how your body processes glucose after a meal. A chain reaction begins when you eat foods rich in simple or refined carbs.The diabetologist elaborated the chain reaction, “When you consume meals with white rice, maida-based breads, or sugary treats, your body rapidly digests them into glucose due to the simple or refined carbohydrates present in them. This makes your blood sugar spike quickly and sharply. In response to this rapid spike, your pancreas secretes a large surge of insulin. The insulin ushers glucose out of the blood into the cells.”This is a natural process, but the problem begins when you eat a meal that is very high in refined carbohydrates. In such cases, the pancreas releases insulin as usual to move glucose out of the blood and into the cells. But if there's a massive flow of insulin, then the doctor informed that one may experience a sudden blood sugar ‘crash’ as sugar clears out of the bloodstream too fast. When this happens, the body starts looking for quick energy again, and you crave food again, even if you just ate.Such a type of cravings follow meals rich in simple or refined carbohydrates like white rice, maida-based breads, sugary snacks, sweets or desserts.But when you sense yourself feeling hungry after every meal, then it may be a case of inulin resistance.The doctor stated that when the body becomes resistant to insulin, glucose cannot enter the cells properly and remains in the bloodstream. When cells do not get enough energy, even though there is glucose in the blood. This can make the body keep sending signals of hunger, creating a cycle of constant hunger.How to stop the cycleEat a balanced meal, instead of carb-heavy meals. (Picture credit: AI generated)With a few simple measures, this vicious craving cycle can be managed by changing how you eat your meals.Dr Varun proposed these solutions:1. Embrace the trio (protein, fat, and fiber):Carbs must always be paired with lean proteins (like sprouts, eggs, or paneer), healthy fats (like nuts or seeds), and plenty of fibre-rich vegetables.Combining these elements within your diet can slow down digestion and regulate the release of glucose, preventing any rushes or crashes.2. Mind your food order:Starting the meal with vegetables and proteins can flatten the post-meal glucose spike.This involves saving the carbs for the end of your meal, thereby assisting in further regulation within your blood system.3. Stay hydrated:Mild dehydration is frequently mistaken for hunger.At times when you crave a second meal, reaching out for a glass of water might be a preferred choice.When to see a doctorIf you are constantly hungry despite having heavy meals, the diabetologist said it may point to polyphagia and that you should consult a health professional.“When accompanied by fatigue, sudden weight fluctuations or frequent urination, the situation warrants visiting a specialist,” he added.For diagnosis, he suggested tests like simple blood tests, such as HbA1c or fasting insulin levels.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously.Read MoreHealthCatch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now!.Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.See Less