Should dessert be eaten separately from meals? Nutritionist answers
Do you need to eat dessert separately from your main meal (photo: Freepik)
You don’t have to eat dessert separately from your main meal. The key is controlling portion sizes and considering individual body needs, according to dietitian Kateryna Tolstikova’s Instagram page.
When to eat dessert
According to the expert, you should eat dessert whenever you feel like it. Avoiding or forbidding sweets and changing your schedule can increase stress, cortisol, and prolactin levels. Dessert should bring only pleasure.
It’s important not to eat dessert on an empty stomach or before a meal. It’s better to have it after a meal, with a 15–20 minute interval. Dessert can also replace a meal if you want.
"Just don’t focus too much on it. Overall, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism shouldn’t start eating with sugar or simple carbs," added the dietitian.
How to eat dessert without harming your health
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Plan portion and timing: A small piece of cake may be enough. Eat dessert after a full meal rather than on an empty stomach to reduce spikes in blood sugar.
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Best time: After lunch or in the afternoon, when the body processes glucose more efficiently.
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Balanced meals: Pair dessert with protein and fiber (e.g., yogurt with berries or nuts) to slow sugar absorption and reduce metabolic impact.
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Choose quality: Opt for less processed sweets with natural ingredients instead of very sugary or fatty cakes and cookies.
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Sugar substitutes: Stevia or fruit paste can help reduce added calories.
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Overall diet matters: Don’t consider dessert separately from your overall nutrition. Following general healthy eating principles—adequate vegetables, proteins, whole grains, and calorie control helps minimize the negative effects of sugar.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
