Do you feel like having something sweet? NEVER reach for this product
Doctors agree that desserts prepared thoughtfully and consumed in moderation should also have a place in a balanced diet. So what should we eat when we crave something sweet, and which products should we avoid at all costs?
"Moderation and appropriate portion sizes are the key to enjoying your favorite sweets," says Dr. Jasmine Singh Sukumar, an oncologist from Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. Six doctors revealed in an interview with TODAY.com, which desserts they personally reach for. They also pointed out one product that you should particularly beware of.
Be careful with such sweets. It's better to avoid them from a distance
Completely depriving yourself of access to your favorite sweets is not always a good solution. A lot depends on the willpower and dietary preferences of a person. However, there are people who find it extremely difficult to say goodbye to their favorite treats. The good answer is that there is also a place for something sweet in a balanced diet.
- Even though I try to limit the addition of sugar to my food throughout the week, from time to time I like to have a dessert after lunch because it brings me joy, even if it is a small portion that curbs the craving for sweets - says TODAY.com's Dr. Jasmine Singh Sukumar. - I believe that dessert should not be forbidden. Moderation and the right portion size are key to enjoying your favorite sweets - she adds.
However, this does not mean that doctors give the green light to succumb to sweet temptations. They point out that a certain group of sweets should be avoided at all costs. Specialists unanimously agree that at the top of the infamous list are ultra-processed sweets. What exactly are they? As explained by cardiologist Dr. Helene Glassberg:
- [Ultra-processed sweets - ed. note] are those that can stay on the shelf for a long time (...) these products usually contain preservatives and fats, which should be avoided.
We can therefore include candies, bars, cookies, wafers, gummies, marshmallows, ready-made supermarket cakes and the whole rest of the "monsters" with a long list of ingredients, a gigantic amount of sugars and preservatives, and a minimal amount of nutrients in the category of ultra-processed sweets. Specialists add that you should prepare desserts yourself, as this is the only way to control what's in them.
You don't have to give up sweets. These candies can be included in your diet
What can we replace our favorite candy bar with? Only fruits? Not necessarily. Stephanie L. Gold, a gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, says fruit crumbles, tarts, and pies are among her favorite desserts. The specialist suggests using seasonal fruits in recipes and being creative. She herself proposes to reach for apple chips and pear crumble in the fall.
Dr Mona Bahouth, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, often reaches for fresh fruit such as berries or apples, and sometimes opts for frozen yogurt with added fruit and nuts. Dr Glassberg mixes a bowl of antioxidant-rich berries with salted almonds, pecan nuts, and peanuts. Dr Sukumar likes to eat berries with dark chocolate as a sweet snack during the week, while Dr Stephanie L. Gold adds homemade fruit sorbets with added plant milk to the list.
Dr. Elizabeth Comen, an oncologist from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, suggests looking for healthier substitutes for the products used to prepare desserts.
- I recently made a cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and Greek yogurt, low-fat cream cheese, and a filling of low-fat sour cream, for example. It was absolutely delicious! - she said in an interview with TODAY.com.
