Bambie Bamfo
Health and Wellness Coordinator
Most desserts are made up of refined carbs, trans-fats and added sugars. These make them calorie-dense, which may resulting in the adding up some body weight (excess fat). As you already know, too much of everything is bad. Therefore excess consumption of dessert can be harmful to your health.
Dessert is a confectionery course that concludes a main meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine or liqueur, but may include coffee, cheese, nut or other savory items.
Is Dessert Really Bad?
The answer to this question would depend on 3 main things
- The constituent of the dessert
- The quantity (amount to be taken)
- Intake frequency of the dessert.
If you are someone who eats sweets every night then I would highly suggest to restrict to every second night and to limit desserts that contain the three main ‘BAD’ ingredients ; sugar, white flour and butter.
Everything in moderation is the key. Don’t always have ‘extras’ at night, especially at a time when you will not be needing the extra energy. Use little tricks so that you can have it all whilst still looking great. Most desserts are made up of refined carbs, trans-fats and added sugars. These make them calorie-dense, which may resulting in the adding up some body weight (excess fat). As you already know, too much of everything is bad. Therefore excess consumption of dessert can be harmful to your health.
However, dessert doesn’t have to be cakes, cookies, ice cream etc. Fresh fruit is one of the simplest dessert you could ever think of. Have you ever tried a freshly juiced orange after your main meal? It’s so refreshing! Grab yourself some sliced apples or strawberries as your dessert one of these days and share your experience with your loved ones.
Let me introduce to you some tips on healthier ways of enjoying desserts after your meals.
1. Prepare your own dessert at home. This helps you to have total control on what to use to make it healthy. You can add some seeds and nuts to your toppings and reduce trans-fat by using healthier oils
2. Make dessert an occasional treat. Limit the number of times you take in dessert. Ideally
3. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. You may end up craving for more if you restrict yourself totally. Portion control should be your focus. You can control your portion by sharing your dessert with family and friends.
3. Use natural sweeteners from fruits, honey, dates etc.
Eating dessert is not bad after-all, just take them in moderation and most importantly, know what you are eating.