Why Bread (And Alcohol) Make You Order More Dishes
In a video posted on neurolab_'s TikTok profile, which has racked up nearly two million views, Amen explains why bread triggers this effect in us and how it's not just bread, but also wine, that stimulates us: "When you go to a restaurant, the first thing they do is bring bread to the table and ask you if you want alcohol, because both act on the frontal lobe. And both make you more likely to order more and spend more money at the restaurant."
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The frontal lobe is, in fact, the part of the human brain involved in all types of higher-order functions: such as planning, problem solving, motivation, judgment, social behavior, and impulse control. In this case, the sugars present in bread and wine create a blood sugar spike that stimulates the production of serotonin, the so-called feel-good hormone, resulting in us being happier and more satisfied and, consequently, more likely to eat more.
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