How to eat sweets and how to choose them: a nutritionist answers

How to eat sweets and how to choose them: a nutritionist answers

Kyiv  •  UNN

 • 106210 views

The expert explained how to choose and consume sweets without harming your health. She named healthy and harmful sweeteners, as well as the basic rules for consuming desserts.

Sweets can be a part of a healthy diet if you approach their consumption carefully. Nutritionist Tetiana Gerasymenko in an exclusive commentary to a journalist of UNN explained how to choose sweets correctly and avoid harm to health. 

“Consuming sweets in large quantities slows down metabolism, as they cause a rapid release of glucose in the blood, which can eventually lead to insulin resistance (a condition where the body loses sensitivity to insulin, causing blood glucose levels to rise and metabolism to be disrupted) and, as a result, weight gain. 

In addition, sweets can worsen the condition of the skin (high blood sugar destroys collagen, the main protein of ligaments and muscles), which causes the skin to lose its firmness, elasticity, hyperpigmentation, dark circles under the eyes, rashes on the body and face, etc.”, says the nutritionist.

She says that sweets reduce immunity - sugar requires vitamin B1 (thiamine) to digest, so to absorb glucose, the body deprives organs and systems of B vitamins. 

This leads to poor eyesight, digestive disorders, and a feeling of constant fatigue. Prolonged excessive consumption of sweets causes oxidative stress that damages tissues and cells, it also disrupts the immune system, causes chronic inflammation and can lead to diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis

- Tetyana said.

The nutritionist explains that there are no “secret sweets that don't make you fat”.

How a child under 14 can obtain a document confirming registration in the STS - explained by the STS24.01.25, 11:27 • 21353 views

There are no secret sweets, but you can eat sweets without the risk of getting fat if you are careful. The key is calorie control, and if there is also a question of health, then do not forget about controlling the balance of nutrients in the diet. If you have a goal to lose weight, it is advisable to limit your intake of sweets in order to achieve results faster and get good body and skin quality, especially since today the market offers a wide range of alternatives to conventional sugar sweets. These are desserts based on natural sweeteners such as stevia, erythritol, xylitol, isomalt, etc. and do not cause sudden spikes in blood glucose. If the goal is to maintain weight, then you can leave 20% of the daily diet for sweets, but also do not forget about the balance of BJV, consume them after the main meal, along with healthy foods

- Gerasymenko adds.

Tetiana says that in today's world, where you can find low-sugar products at every turn, it's important to know which sweeteners are good for your health and which ones can be harmful. 

Image

First of all, you need to learn how to read labels, pay attention to what sweeteners are added, pay attention to the amount of carbohydrates and the “including sugars” mark, because there may be a bright wrapper with the inscription “sugar-free”, and on the back there will be a huge amount of sugar. 

Occupants introduced new taxes in Kherson region: what awaits local businesses28.01.25, 06:32 • 32640 views

So, memorize the list of healthy and unhealthy sweeteners to know which products to avoid.

Useful:

  • Stevia (contains no calories, has a zero glycemic index (GI), has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties; 
  • Erythritol - contains almost zero calories, does not cause an increase in blood sugar, and is easily digested; 
  • Xylitol (extracted from birch bark, has a low GI and fewer calories than sugar, improves dental health and has antimicrobial properties).

Coca-Cola recalls beverages in several European countries due to high chlorate content28.01.25, 09:47 • 37021 view

Harmful:

  • Aspartame (contained in Coke Zero, chewing gum) causes headaches, allergic reactions, and changes in blood pressure when consumed in large quantities on a daily basis.
  • Cyclamate (banned in the US, in Ukraine it is allowed to be used in some products, but under strict control - in large quantities it causes headaches, nausea, allergic reactions)
  • Saccharin is one of the first artificial sweeteners, which is not harmful in moderate consumption, but contains carcinogens.
  • Sucralose (Spartina) is the most common sweetener, which is 600 times sweeter than sugar, contains no calories and does not increase blood glucose levels, but there are studies that regular consumption of sucralose affects insulin receptors and metabolism in general.

Healthy alternatives to sweets can satisfy a sweet tooth while providing nutrients and not harming your health. Choose fruits, berries, marshmallows, dried fruits, dark chocolate with 75% cocoa, dried fruit and nut bars, and protein bars with a good composition

- says the nutritionist.

She notes that there are basic rules for eating sweets:

  • Eat sweets after the main full meal, when you are full, your body will be less prone to overeating, your sugar level will be less stable, so it will be easier to control yourself.
  • Do not replace main dishes with sweets, eat as an addition to the main dish or as a snack.
  • Control your portions, eat 1-2 pieces instead of a whole bar of chocolate.
  • Choose healthy alternatives. Read the ingredients, pay attention to the ingredients, and avoid sweets with a lot of trans fats and added sugar.
  •  Do not eat sweets on an empty stomach, eating sweets on an empty stomach provokes a sharp rise in blood glucose levels, after which it quickly decreases, which leads to a feeling of hunger and a desire to eat more.
  • Plan sweets as part of your diet, determine how much you can afford to eat today or in a week, and make sure you don't exceed these limits.

Scientists have discovered two simple ways to fight fatigue at work27.01.25, 11:40 • 37705 views

People think that if a candy is dietary, without sugar, they won't gain weight, and very often they start to abuse it and overeat, because they think it's dietary and nothing will happen. Therefore, it is imperative to control the portion, choose the purest possible composition and balanced nutrition, and fit it into your daily caloric intake

- emphasized the nutritionist.

Recall 

Oleh Shvets, President of the Association of Nutritionists of Ukraine, explained how overeating sweets affects insulin levels and how to get rid of the addiction to sweets.