Does Eating Dessert Mean I'm Unhealthy? | The Nauvoo (2024)

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Does Eating Dessert Mean I'm Unhealthy? | The Nauvoo? ›

The secret is in portion control and how your dessert compares to your diet overall. Eating a small portion of a dessert is fine, especially if you balance that out with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains throughout the rest of the day.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, desserts are one of the main sources of added sugar in the U.S. These guidelines recommend limiting your total intake of added sugars to 10% of your daily energy intake, which translates to 48 grams or 12 teaspoons for a 2,000-calorie diet.

Frequent consumption of desserts post-dinner poses numerous long-term risks. Excessive sugar intake is linked to weight gain, insulin resistance, and heightened diabetes and cardiovascular disease risks.

In fact, allowing yourself to enjoy dessert can actually make weight loss easier. As a registered dietitian, I think the best dessert for weight loss is a mindful portion of any dessert that you like. Yep, you read that right. You can eat any dessert that you want, and it won't sabotage your weight loss goals.

Eating dessert after dinner adds extra calories to your daily intake. Weight management is a delicate balance between calories consumed and burned. Regularly indulging in high-calorie desserts without compensating with increased physical activity may contribute to weight gain over time.

The lack of access to healthful foods and easy access to fast foods may be linked to poor diets that are high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthful fats.

Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.

Aim for Three Complete Meals a Day

Eat at least three complete, satisfying meals consistently throughout the day. Desserts should not replace meals, but you may find yourself eating dessert for dinner if you haven't had enough food throughout the day. This can impact timing around dessert and how much of it you enjoy.

Cutting added sugars makes it easier to manage weight and to keep blood glucose levels within healthy parameters, both of which lower your diabetes risk. This stems from the fact that added sugars help fuel a cyclical cascade of effects that cause metabolic and hormonal changes that increase the risk of diabetes.

You'll have less belly fat

This is the visceral or “deep” fat that builds up around vital organs like your liver, pancreas, and intestines. Stubborn and hard to get rid of, it's also dangerous; visceral fat is a known risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.

Is one sweet a day ok? ›

A small dessert consumed daily can be part of a healthy diet. The key is to control portion sizes. You'll also want to pay attention to other foods you eat that contain added sugars, such as cereals, protein bars, juices, bottled teas and coffees, so you don't overdo your daily sugar intake.

Sweets can be part of a healthy, lifelong eating pattern. But for the least harm and -- don't forget this -- the fullest enjoyment, they should be eaten in moderation. That means in small amounts, or only a couple of times a week.

Most of the time, drinking a big glass of water just makes us feel good, but drinking even more water than usual after sugar-binging may actually help you feel better. Hydrating can support the natural detox process (meaning you'll use the bathroom more often) so you don't feel so puffy or bloated.

If you're a cookie-and-candy-craver, don't despair. Sweets can be part of a healthy, lifelong eating pattern. But for the least harm and -- don't forget this -- the fullest enjoyment, they should be eaten in moderation. That means in small amounts, or only a couple of times a week.

Over time, this can lead to a greater accumulation of fat, which may turn into fatty liver disease, a contributor to diabetes, which raises your risk for heart disease. Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease.