I'll Drink to That!

     In the most recent issue of Cook's Country magazine a subscriber asked, "Why does a double scoop of ice cream make me thirsty?"  Christie Morrison, staff writer, responded with this explanation:



     "We asked around the office to see if this was a common affliction, and about half the people said that yes, ice cream does leave a parched mouth.
     "When in doubt, we often look to our science editor for explanation.  He told us that sweet foods (like ice cream) behave much like salty foods when eaten in quantity.  As ice cream is digested and sugar is rapidly absorbed into the blood, the concentration of sugar in the blood becomes higher than the concentration of sugar in the body's other cells.  Since nature abhors an imbalance, osmosis kicks in, forcing water out of the cells, through membranes, and into the blood to equalize the relative concentration of sugar.  The brain senses that the cells are losing moisture, and the craving for a glass of water kicks in."



THE BOTTOM LINE: You're not imaging that post-ice cream thirst.  Go ahead and treat yourself to a tall drink of water.