Giving up on sugar and your favourite sweets is one of the hardest things to do while trying to lose weight. The good news is that you don’t need to cut sugar from your diet altogether. If you have an undying love of sugar, you have the option to switch to low-carb sweets.
Your dietitian might suggest some low-carb sweets as an alternative to regular sweets. But are these sweets healthy? And do they contribute to helping you shed some pounds? Or do they obstruct your weight loss progress?
You are about all your answers to questions about low-carb sweets.
A] What Are Low-Carb Sweets?
The allure of sugary treats can often derail even the most determined weight loss plans. Regular sweets carry high carbohydrate content. These carbohydrates get broken down into glucose during digestion. The glucose enters the bloodstream and energises your body cells.
However, the body’s capacity to store glucose is limited. So, your body converts any excess into fat for long-term storage. If you consume a high amount of carbs, fat gain is inevitable.
Low-carb sweets, on the other hand, are sugar-free sweets prepared using alternative sweeteners and flours. These sweets let you enjoy sugary stuff without consuming too much carbohydrates.
The sweeteners and flour used in such sweets are exactly like sugar. So, any sweets prepared using them taste just like traditional high-carb desserts. But they do not impact your blood sugar levels as traditional desserts do.
So, does that mean you can satisfy your sweet cravings by munching on low-carb sweets when trying to lose weight? Well, there’s only one way to find it out and it is by assessing the pros and cons of low-carb sweets.
B] Pros Of Low-Carb Sweets
If you wish to achieve the desired weight loss results without cutting out your favourite sweets, low-carb sweets can be your go-to option! Sweets with low carbohydrate content can support your weight loss goals in the following ways.
Maintaining Insulin Levels
The greatest of all benefits of low-carb sweets is their ability to prevent spikes in insulin levels. Traditional high-carb desserts can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes. Consuming traditional sweets can often lead to crashes, which can trigger hunger and overeating.
Low-carb sweets have a gentle impact on blood sugar. So, you can consume them in your Keto diet without having uncontrollable cravings.
Portion Control
Low-carb sweets often come in smaller portion sizes. These sweets can contain higher fat and protein content. The portion control can assist you in managing your calorie intake. After all, the amount of calories that you consume is a crucial factor in your weight loss journey.
Psychological Satisfaction
Allowing yourself to enjoy a sweet treat while on a diet can have positive psychological effects. Feeling deprived of indulgent foods can lead to feelings of frustration. You might even end up wanting to abandon your dietary plans.
Low-carb sweets offer you a guilt-free way to satisfy your cravings. They offer a more sustainable approach to weight loss.
The pros of these sweet treats make it clear that they can be a part of your diet plan. But before concluding whether this indulgence should be a part of your weight loss diet plan, let’s also look at the cons of low-carb sweets.
C] Cons Of Low Carb Sweets
Many dietitians ask their clients to avoid low-carb sweets because these sweets contain hidden calorie loads. Let’s talk about this calorie load in detail.
The Halo Effect’
People often fall into the trap of consuming these sweets because they carry the label ‘low carb’ on their packaging. Most of you on a diet might assume that it is safe to consume them as they contain low carbs. Even though these sweets might carry a low carb content, they can be extremely high in calories.
So, excess consumption would only lead to more calorie intake. And if you can do the math right while losing weight, it only means that you’re consuming more than you can burn. Eventually, low-carb sweets can deter your weight loss journey and tamper with the progress you have made.
Misinterpreting Labels
Sometimes, the labels on low-carb sweets can be very misleading. Some products might contain the label of ‘low-carb,’ but they might carry some hidden sugars. Most products have artificial additives or unhealthy fats which makes them a big no-no when losing weight.
D] Should You Consume Low-Carb Sweets On Diet?
Now that you know both pros and cons of consuming low-carb sweets, it’s easy to figure out how they assist you in losing weight while satisfying your cravings. Sweets carrying low carbohydrate content are not harmful to your body. But you must consume them wisely.
E] Striking A Balance – Incorporating Low-Carb Sweets Into Your Diet
You must consider low-carb sweets as occasional indulgences rather than daily staples when on a diet. Consuming these sweets in moderation can help prevent overconsumption and maintain your weight loss progress.
Some people might find it extremely difficult to go a day without having something sweet. In that case, such people should go with the whole food alternatives. Opting for whole-food alternatives can often be a better approach than relying solely on low-carb sweets.
Fresh fruits, Greek yoghurt with honey, or dark chocolate are options that provide natural sweetness. They also carry several nutritional benefits that your body will enjoy.
It’s A Wrap!
Everyone wants to be healthy and in the best shape ever. However, bad food consumption patterns often make it an achievable dream for many. Sugar and sweets are one of the biggest ‘bad foods’ and the enemy of weight loss. But low-carb sweets offer people wanting to lose weight the ability to indulge in the pleasure of sweetness without affecting their commitment to weight loss.
These sweets offer a solution to the age-old dilemma of satisfying cravings without compromising progress. However, it’s also important to understand that excess consumption of such sweets can play with your weight loss progress.
Low-carb sweets can provide a sensible pathway to manage your desire for sweets. But they might make you fat if you consume them too much since they carry a high-calorie content. Moderation is the key to a successful weight loss journey. Incorporating these treats mindfully will help you reap their benefits.
