How often have you been made to feel guilty about indulging your sweet tooth for “no apparent reason” by the health freaks around you? Endless lectures on how dessert should be eaten in moderation or not at all seem to echo in our ears every time we’re spotted nibbling on our favorite sweetmeats.
While we don’t really need a reason to eat desserts, there are some who wonder in amazement why we’re being kind to ourselves ever so frequently without a proper reason. For connoisseurs of desserts, however, it doesn’t matter what the occasion or the time of the year it is. Rather, it is all about feeding the soul with food that makes them feel like they’ve finally found Heaven on earth.
If you’re one of those “healthy” people who crave chocolates, smores, and strawberry shortcakes, but feel guilty at the mere confession of the cravings, we’ve got some good news for you.
Eating dessert does not mean you have little or no self-control. It only means that you have a good sense of what you want (sometimes it is just a sinful blueberry cheesecake), and that you have what it takes to honor these cravings.
So here are a few more reasons to let logic take a back seat and savor your dessert:
1. It Puts You in a Good Mood
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I’m sure you’ve turned to a box of chocolates or gobbled down an apple pie on a “bad day” just so could you feel like there’s still hope left in the world!
That’s what we’re talking about. Nothing can give you more pleasure than eating your favorite dessert. And this feeling is vital to your well-being.
In the long term, constantly denying ourselves these simple pleasures can make us feel like we do not deserve them and can also make us resentful as human beings, especially people like me for whom dessert is a true love. The idea is to derive pleasure from simple things like eating your favorite sweets.
2. It Makes for a Good Breakfast
Believe it or not, but having dessert for breakfast can actually help you lose weight. Researchers at the Tel Aviv University’s Wolfson Medical Centre have claimed that eating desserts for breakfast can help non-diabetic obese people lower their weight.
The study was conducted on close to 200 obese adults who did not suffer from diabetes. Some ate a big, 600-calorie breakfast followed by a slice of cake or cookie, while others were made to eat a 300-calorie protein-rich breakfast of egg whites, tuna, cheese and milk.
Four months later, both groups were found to have lost about 30 pounds per person. But, in the subsequent four months (the study’s maintenance period), it was found that the high-protein group had regained around 22 pounds, while the sweet-happy group continued to shed weight. Researchers attributed this to the reduced cravings, which made the subjects less hungry throughout the day.
So the next time your mom talks to you about having a healthy breakfast, tell her about the dessert for breakfast idea!
3. A Few Bites is All It Takes
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Surely you do not eat your entire birthday cake all by yourself. You probably eat one slice and pass the rest of it on to your friends and family. And that makes sense.
You don’t need to eat it all to enjoy the flavor. More often than not, just a few bites should prove to be enough to satisfy the strongest cravings.
To make sure you enjoy your cake and also stay healthy, make portion control a regular practice and watch your waistline stay in shape while you satiate your taste buds.
4. It Can Prevent a Stroke
This one is going to be music to the dark chocolate lover’s ears. Consuming a little bit of dark chocolate everyday can actually help reduce the risk of stroke in the long run.
As per a 10-year study conducted on 37,000 Swedish men, all aged between 45 to 79 years and without any cardiovascular diseases, it was found that the ones who ate some amount of dark chocolate regularly were 17% less likely to suffer a stroke than those who didn’t.
So now you have a healthy excuse to look for the best-quality dark chocolate and eat it every day without feeling guilty about it. After all, you’ve got to stay fit!
5. It Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Apart from lowering your chances of getting a stroke, dark chocolate also reduces your blood pressure, although just a little bit. A bar of dark chocolate never seemed more appealing, did it? Fancy a dark chocolate mousse? Of course, bring it on!
6. You’ll Be Better in Bed
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Love your pumpkin pie? Now you’ll love it even more. Not only does it make for a healthy dessert choice, but its zinc-packed seeds are known to increase testosterone levels, plus its aroma is supposed to have an aphrodisiacal effect on you.
Even if you don’t particularly find the pumpkin’s aroma to be a turn-on, there’s no denying that it has several health benefits. Pumpkin pies are low in calories and come packed with vitamin A, iron, calcium and fiber.
7. You Learn to Share and Care
So you’re on a diet but can’t seem to control your craving for a tiramisu? Well, have no fear for you can have your tiramisu and eat it too. Simply share it with your dad, your partner, your friend, or even a colleague.
This way you don’t miss out on dessert, plus you cut the calorie intake by half. Additionally, you earn some brownie points with the person you share your sweet nothings with.
8. It Makes Life More Enjoyable
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Admit it, eating dessert makes your day better. You start liking people more, and feel like everything is going to be alright. Life is too short to miss out on desserts. So enjoy them while you can.
Conclusion
Not only does eating dessert make you healthy, it also makes you a happier and a better human being. There is no reason to resist those ice creams, cakes, and parfaits. Go ahead, live a little, have some dessert!
