Just because you eat dessert doesn’t mean your blood sugar is going to fluctuate dramatically. Research indicates that the type of dessert you take and the time you take to eat it, together with the manner in which you take it with other foods, usually determines whether there will be a dramatic spike in your blood glucose level or not. Some research indicates that it is important to take dessert earlier in the day and to take it with a balanced meal to help in a lesser blood sugar spike.
There have been many studies that indicate that if you consume sweets after your lunch or in the mid-afternoon, there will be much lesser blood sugar spike. The main reason for this is your natural circadian rhythm. Your body is more sensitive to insulin in the morning, but less sensitive in the evening.
This means that your body can better metabolize sugars during the daytime. In one study, it was found that if sweets were eaten after dinner, they resulted in higher glucose responses. Evening sweets also led to higher blood sugar levels at breakfast the next morning.
The composition of a meal also contributes significantly to this problem. Studies indicate that eating carbohydrates after vegetables and protein, and not before or alone, can lower the peak in blood glucose levels after a meal. This is because proteins, fibres, and fats take more time to be digested, hence allowing a gradual entry of glucose into the bloodstream. Having a dessert after a balanced meal containing proteins like fish, chicken, tofu, eggs, and yogurt, along with fibre and vegetables, and some fats can cause lesser blood sugar spike.
Dessert selection is also a factor. Those that have a low glycemic index and will cause lesser blood sugar spike. Yogurt with berries and nuts, dark chocolate with nuts, chia pudding, and fruits with nut butter can help combat your sugar cravings. Those with a highly refined sugar content, especially in the evening, will have a harmful impact.
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