Dessert makes a meal complete. After a lunch or dinner, many people crave something sweet, which is why desserts have been regarded as the final reward after a meal.
Of course, sweets come with health risks, including blood sugar spikes. But even after a heavy meal, when there is barely any appetite left, many people still find it hard to say no to dessert and may end up overeating.
This gives so much meaning to the popular saying, ‘There’s always room for dessert.' Similarly, it is very common that in front of a tasty sweet dish, your appetite goes up.
An Endocrinologist Dr Abhay Inderjit Ahluwalia, based in India, director of endocrinology at Fortis Hospital Gurugram said that eating a small item before a meal may help some people control cravings and reduce the urge to overeat a dessert later.
How to control dessert cravings?
The endocrinologist shared, “Food decisions are not driven solely by hunger. Anticipation, emotions, habits, stress levels, and previous experiences with food often play a significant role. Many individuals begin a meal already thinking about dessert. In some cases, the anticipation of a sweet dish remains present throughout the meal, leading to larger portions or a sense of dissatisfaction even after adequate food intake.”
Cravings are always driven by hunger alone. Sometimes, the mind remains fixated on the idea of having dessert, making you think about it throughout the meal. As a result, even after you are done eating, you may end up having more dessert than usual, making the craving harder to control. Eating a small portion of dessert before a meal does not mean promoting sugar consumption. Instead, the main idea behind this hack, as mentioned by the doctor too, is that when you address the craving earlier, you feel satisfied and don't overeat the meal once it is done.
Decoding the behaviour of craving
The endocrinologist also brought in the perspective of behavioural nutrition, where, when you restrict any food, it becomes ‘disproportionately desirable.’
“Those who eliminate sweets from their diet get cravings which intensify over time,” Dr Ahluwalia added.
When you eat a small serving of any sweet before a meal, if you crave desserts a lot, then the doctor found that people overeat less.
“By addressing the craving early, some people find it easier to focus on the meal itself and make more balanced food choices afterwards,” the doctor said, highlighting the role of psychological satisfaction.
Such a scenario is relevant for some people. The doctor listed:
- People who crave desserts after meals
- Those who struggle with cycles of restriction and overeating
- Children who become overly focused on sweets because of strict food rules
- People attempting to build a balanced relationship with food
At the same time, the doctor warned that eating sugary foods on an empty stomach can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. This can be unhealthy, especially for people with diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, or metabolic syndrome.
And even otherwise, focusing on the type and quality of desserts is important, along with portion size, which the doctor said continues to remain central to the conversation.
Which healthy sweet treats can you eat?
Dessert does not mean a free pass to anything unhealthy. If you are craving something sweet, here are some foods you can eat before your lunch/dinner, as recommended by the endocrinologist:
- A small piece of dark chocolate
- Fresh fruit with unsweetened yoghurt
- Small homemade sweets like jaggery-sesame ladoo or kheer with less sugar
- A fruit-based dessert with minimal added sugar
Source: Hindustan Times
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
