There was a time when dessert came after dinner. A neat, predictable full stop. Today, dessert shows up anytime, anywhere — after a bad day, during a TV-watching spiral, in the middle of a work, before/after a home slump, or even as a tiny celebration of just getting through in life. From tiramisu tubs ordered at midnight to artisanal mithai boxes sent “just because,” something has shifted. Dessert is no longer just an indulgence. It’s emotional!
Food For Thought
“Food is not just fuel. It is memory, celebration, nostalgia and sometimes a sense of safety,” says Luke Coutinho, Integrative Lifestyle Expert. The smell of ghee, the first bite of chocolate cake, the familiarity of something sweet after a long day — these are deeply wired emotional experiences. But here’s where things get interesting: self-care and self-soothing are not the same thing.
“India is a country with the maximum number of festivals in the world. People enjoy desserts during all the festivals, apart from other happy occasions,” says Chef Deepa.
Somewhere between “treat yourself” culture and the chaos of modern life, desserts have quietly become emotional placeholders. A reward for surviving the day. A soft cushion for loneliness.
Sugar Rush
“Sugar triggers dopamine — the brain’s feel-good chemical — giving a quick sense of relief,” explains Dhara Ghuntla, Psychologist and Psycho-therapist, independent practitioner affiliated with Sujay Hospital, Seven Hills Hospital, and Criticare Hospital.
Add to that the hormone cortisol — your body’s stress signal — which actually increases cravings for quick energy foods (read: sugar) and you’ve got a perfect storm. You’re stressed, your body wants fast fuel and dessert delivers both comfort and chemistry.
Emotional Eating
We’ve all had that day where nothing but something sweet will do. The problem isn’t the occasional emotional dessert. It’s when dessert becomes your only coping tool. “So, we do not see comfort eating as something to shame. But self-care and self-soothing are not always the same thing,” explains Coutinho.
There’s a subtle but important difference between “I had a brownie because I wanted comfort today” and “I don’t know why I keep reaching for sweets every time I feel something.” One is conscious. The other is a pattern.
Rise of Dessert Therapy
Scroll through Instagram or food delivery apps and you’ll see it everywhere — indulgent desserts marketed almost like emotional experiences. “You deserve this.” “Healing in a box.” “Midnight cravings sorted.” It’s clever. It’s relatable.
Diabetologist Dr. Rajiv Kovil warns that what starts as occasional comfort can turn into a habit. “Stress triggers craving, craving triggers consumption — and over time, this becomes a conditioned loop,” he explains.
Over time, your brain starts expecting dessert as a response to discomfort. That’s where things quietly become less about pleasure and more about dependence. “A dessert remains calorie-dense even when made with sugar substitutes,” says Dr. Kovil.
Interestingly, younger consumers are already shifting the conversation. There’s less obsession with strict diets, more focus on balance. Less guilt, more awareness. Dessert doesn’t have to be the enemy. But it also doesn’t need to be your go-to therapist.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
