When you eat a lot, your body becomes busy digesting all that food. As it works to break down the food, your stomach becomes distended and you experience a feeling of fullness. The body releases hormones in response to the distended stomach, telling the brain to start drinking fluids. This is why you get thirsty after eating a lot – your brain is trying to get rid of the extra fluid caused by the meal.
But that’s only one reason why you get thirsty after eating a lot. There are at least 5 other reasons plus there are certain foods that are bound to make you thirsty after eating them. We will discuss all of them in this article.
We will also discuss some fast food outlets and their meals, and why they make you thirsty after eating them.
5 Reasons why you get Thirsty after Eating a Large Meal:
1. You ate a lot of salty foods
When you eat salty foods, your body retains water to try and balance out the salt levels. This means that you can become dehydrated more quickly, which will leave you feeling thirsty.
This is one of the main reasons why sometimes you get thirsty after eating a pizza.
2. You ate a lot of sugary foods
Just like with salt, eating a lot of sugar can also make you feel thirsty because it causes your body to release more fluids. This is because sugar actually pulls water from your cells in order to be metabolized.
A good example of sugar making you thirsty is when you eat ice cream.
Check out our article on why does ice cream make you thirsty?
3. You ate spicy foods
When you eat spicy food, your body releases a hormone called vasopressin. That vasopressin hormone signals the kidneys to reabsorb more water into the body. This makes you thirsty, so you drink more fluids.
Sometimes you also need to drink milk after eating spicy because of the capsaicin, an oily chemical compound in spicy foods like chili peppers that binds to a receptor in the tongue and creates a burning sensation.
To get rid of that uncomfortable burning sensation you drink milk, but drinking water can also somewhat neutralize the burning sensation of chilies eaten.
4. You ate a lot of fiber-rich foods
Eating high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables can cause you to become a bit dehydrated because fiber draws water into the bowel and absorbs it as it moves through your digestive system.
5. You ate a lot of processed foods
Processed foods make you thirsty because they contain large amounts of salt. When you eat salty foods, your body tries to get rid of the excess salt by releasing more water. This extra water causes you to become dehydrated, which makes you thirsty.
A lot of processed food on KFC and McDonald’s menus is bound to make you thirsty. Let’s see why:
Why do you feel thirsty after eating KFC?
There are multiple reasons why you might feel thirsty after eating KFC. The most likely explanation is that the high sodium content in the food makes you thirsty. When you eat salty foods, your body tries to get rid of the extra sodium by releasing more water. This can make you feel thirsty and even cause a headache.
Another possible explanation is that the spices used in KFC’s chicken coating can make you feel parched. The herbs and spices used in the coating can be dehydrating, so they might make you drink more fluids in an effort to compensate.
KFC has always been known for its greasy, unhealthy food. If you want to eat healthy fast food check out our list of fast food options here.
Why do you feel thirsty after eating at McDonald’s?
There are many reasons why you might feel thirsty after eating at McDonald’s. One reason is that the food is high in sodium. Sodium can cause you to retain water, which can make you feel thirsty.
Additionally, the high sugar content in some of McDonald’s foods can also make you feel thirsty.
Thirsty after eating any Junk Food:
It’s not only KFC or McDonald’s. Eating food that is junk will make you thirsty no matter whichever outlet you eat it from.
Eating junk food is like quenching your thirst with salt water. It might satisfy you for a little while, but you’re only going to end up thirstier than before.
The same is true for your body and your mind. Eating junk food might give you a quick burst of energy, but it’s not going to help you in the long run. It can even ruin your workouts.
Some other Foods that make people Thirsty:
1. Why do kebabs make you thirsty?
Kebab makes you thirsty because of the way it is cooked. The meat used in a kebab is very dry and mostly high in sodium. This means that your body has to work harder to break down the meat and extract the moisture, which in turn leads you to drink more fluids.
So the next time you order a kebab, remember to drink plenty of water too!
2. Fish
There are many reasons why eating fish makes you thirsty. For one, fish is a high-protein food, and protein is known to cause dehydration. Plus, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can also cause dehydration. These fatty acids can increase urine output and make you thirstier.
It will be better to drink water in advance before eating fish or during eating it because if you drink water afterward, it can affect the pH of the stomach by diluting it, hence the acidic nature of the stomach changes which can cause a problem in digesting food.
So either drink in advance, during eating fish, or wait for at least 5-10 minutes after eating fish or any other food before drinking water.
3. Any High Carb Meal:
After eating a high-carbohydrate meal, you may feel thirsty.
This is because when you eat a lot of carbs, your body produces more insulin. Insulin causes your kidneys to excrete more sodium and water.
This increases the amount of fluid in your bloodstream and causes the volume of blood to increase.
This extra blood volume stimulates thirst receptors in your brain, which makes you want to drink more fluids.
Conclusion:
Feeling thirsty after eating a lot is one thing but there are some foods that are bound to make you thirsty. This article highlighted different reasons why those foods make you thirsty.
If you found value in this article, then please do share it on social media to help others stay hydrated.
