Angela Dowden: Satisying your sweet tooth
Sugar gives instant gratification when we’re lacking energy, and sweet foods are generally some of the most pleasurable to eat! However, if your sweet tooth gets out of hand, the downsides are far from fun. Too many sugar hits in a day will increase your chance of dental decay, and can actually lead to lower, less stable energy levels in the long run. That's because eating something sugary, especially on an empty stomach can lead to a rapid rise in blood glucose, followed by an equally rapid fall. This stimulates a further round of craving for sweets, with the potential to set up a rollercoaster ride of fluctuating energy levels.
How to curb it
To reduce your reliance on sweet foods, never skip meals, and base your diet largely around lower glycaemic carbohydrates which are digested slowly and help smooth out blood sugar fluctuations. Examples include seeded or grainy bread, All bran, brown rice, porridge, pulses and all types of pasta. For a more immediate answer to a sugar craving, try eating protein instead (a handful or prawns or half a can of tuna for example). It will help you break out of the roller coaster of fluctuating energy levels, and protein is filing too.
Enjoy sweetness without guilt...
That’s not to say you can’t have sweet treats as part of your diet and still be healthy! Here’s how:
- If it’s something sugary, enjoy it with a meal, which will be better for your teeth and won’t affect your blood sugar levels too dramatically.
- Better still, enjoy your sweet treats sweetened with Canderel instead of sugar - there are loads of yummy recipes in the Canderel Kitchen. The advantage? Canderel isn’t sugar, and it's very low in calorise, so you'll look after your waistline and protect against fluctuating energy levels too.
- Chocolate your weakness? To make a little go a longer way, grate a few squares into a lovely big pile.
- Always choose sweetened, not full sugar versions or soft drinks.
