Sweet Tooth, Flat Stomach

Want your sweet treats, and a flat stomach too? There are ways to achieve both! 

This time of year with Halloween becoming more celebrated in Australia (yay!) and the silly season looming nearer and nearer (yeek!), there are so many options for treating yourself and your family with potentially unhealthy foods. In fact, some of those treats can even contain harmful artificial colours and flavours as well. 

So how do we ensure what we eat is goal-positive, healthy for us and our family, and still satisfies our sweet tooth? 

Not All Sugars Are Created Equal

Sweet substances might tastes fairly similar in your tongue, but it’s how they digest and the changes they produce in your body that can differ immensely. Your body highly regulates blood glucose so depending on the glycaemic index of the sweetener and how much glucose, fructose or galactose (sugars broken down) is in the food, it can have a huge impact on how much regulation is needed. 

Remember that sugar breaks down to essentially your body’s primary energy food, especially for some vital organs like your brain which really prefers glucose. The trick here is to go for natural, unprocessed sugars with a lower GI. These will have less impact on your blood glucose and even help regulate sweet cravings. 

Sugar Swaps For Success

Sugar alcohols, non-sugar sweeteners and natural substances can easily curb those sweet cravings and even taste significantly better than the old table sugar. 

Some sugar alcohols have very little effect on blood sugar and can even act as a digestive aid. Erythritol and xylitol, are around the same sweetness as table sugar and create only small increases in blood glucose. These taste almost identical to normal sugar in baking and even your morning java. 

Stevia extract from stores can be fantastic as a natural sweetener, however for those who don’t like the ‘plasticky’ after taste, growing a stevia plant is cheap, easy and delicious - without the plastic. 

Other natural sweeteners that have a non-sugar flavour can add a bit of exotic levels to your food. I use licorice root often in my sweet treats. It has a much more mild flavour than licorice lollies and it +150x sweeter than table sugar! 

I tend to stay away from artificial sweeteners however, as the jury’s still out on just how harmful they can be long term. 

Go Natural

Try more natural sugar-based sweeteners which are less likely to have side effects and nasties included. These include rice malt extract, maple syrup and honey. We’re lucky enough at IFA to have a client who keeps bees and I can honestly tell you there’s nothing better than raw, fresh, local honey! 

Know Your Additives

In some cases the sugar content may not be the main nasty in your sweet treats. Artificial flavours and sweeteners can cause allergic reactions, digestive issues, asthma and hyperactivity in susceptible people. We want our sweets to be a treat, not a trip to the doctor!! 

One of my favourite app collections are those that list the E-type additives in foods. My personal favourite is ‘E Numbers: Food Additives Checker’. It lists additives in traffic light colours, so you can check the number easily before you buy a product. If the E additive is red on the app, better to leave that sweet treat on the shelf.

These apps also give you an idea of possible side effects, ongoing digestive issues and allergen triggers, but ensure you have a reputable app or do your homework to find one that suits your local area. 

Portion Control Is Key

Ultimately, the key with sweet treats is to practise moderation. Dark chocolate is bitter sweet, delicious and Morrish - but stop at 1 or 2 squares, not the whole block. This keeps your blood glucose in check, your waistline in shape and stops you feeling deprived.

The Final Word

The vast majority of us love our sweet treats. I don’t have a sweet tooth and am much more likely to reach for olives than gummy bears, but even then there’s times I just need a little chocolate or a sweet glass of juice! 

The trick is to moderate your intake, not deprive yourself entirely, and make sure the sweets you’re eating are healthy and nutritionally sound. In this was you can avoid those extra ‘sugar kilos’ around the belly, and still treat yourself!