This is why we crave a glass of milk after eating cookies

When it comes to desserts, there isn’t one more classic than milk and cookies. Nothing beats sipping on a cold glass of creamy milk after indulging in a delicious cookie. As it turns out, there’s actually a scientific reason why we crave a glass of milk after eating cookies.

And it’s not just milk we crave after eating sweets — it’s any liquid that will quench our thirst.

We become thirsty after eating sweets due to the way sugar interacts with the cells in our bodies. In fact, feeling thirsty after ingesting sugar is the same feeling that comes after eating something salty, according to a new study conducted by the Indiana Public Media’s A Moment of Science.

"Particles of salt or sugar are absorbed into the bloodstream soon after we eat them," the study explains. "As they circulate through the body, the particles act like little siphons, pulling water out of our body cells. The cells notice the change right away, and they don’t like it, so they try to hold in water, and send chemical messengers to alert the brain."

Of course, we already know that sugar isn’t great for our bodies. That’s nothing new. But to see it broken down, and to understand exactly how sugar negatively affects our bodies and our need to replenish fluids, is pretty eye-opening.

Not to tempt you or anything, but…

This new info doesn’t mean we’ll stop eating cookies. It just means we might go for a glass of water instead of milk — or at least a glass of water after the milk.