Do you have dessert after a meal? While a sweet dessert might be a great way to round off a meal or serve as a snack, some desserts could backfire. Let’s find out what impact the desserts we eat without thinking can have on our bodies and what foods we should reach for when we want dessert.
Apple
Apples, a classic dessert choice, stimulate stomach acid production, aiding digestion and nutrient absorption. They also help prevent calcium excretion, promoting strong bones. Apples contain pectin, which activates intestinal movements, relieving constipation, and dietary fiber helps flush out bad cholesterol, preventing arterial hardening.
Kiwi
Kiwi helps prevent cardiovascular diseases by lowering the neutral fat and blood pressure in the blood due to its powerful antioxidant effect. Vitamin E reduces bad cholesterol and helps prevent diabetes by lowering blood sugar and increasing insulin activity. It also aids bowel movements and maintains the balance of intestinal bacteria due to carbohydrates and polyphenols, helping to prevent colon cancer. Kiwi contains three times more vitamin C than an orange, so eating one can meet the daily recommended intake.
Pear
If you’ve had grilled meat or fish, consider having pears for dessert. Pears help eliminate carcinogens from grilled foods and are rich in dietary fiber, promoting beneficial gut bacteria and inhibiting harmful bacteria growth. They maintain intestinal cleanliness, aiding in constipation relief. Eating pear peels enhances antioxidant effects, delaying aging and reducing bodily damage.
Coffee
While many enjoy post-meal coffee, those with anemia should avoid it immediately after eating. Coffee contains tannins that interfere with iron absorption from food. It’s advisable to avoid coffee, green tea, and black tea within an hour after a meal. Moreover, caffeine raises blood sugar levels and sustains them, so it’s not recommended for diabetes patients. If you must have coffee, wait 30 minutes to an hour after digestion.
Banana
Bananas are excellent dessert choices, especially after consuming meat. They aid in protein absorption and are rich in vitamin B6, facilitating amino acid creation and decomposition. It’s best to opt for ripe bananas with lower tannin content.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea, which contains an ingredient called gingerol, stimulates the secretion of bile (gallbladder juice) in our bodies, aiding digestion. It aids in the digestion and absorption of fats that come in through meals and reduces the activity of various bacteria. Gingerol prevents a rapid increase in cholesterol levels and reduces the viscosity of the blood. It also warms the body, making it a good food for preventing colds.
Ice Cream
Many opt for ice cream or shaved ice as desserts during hot summer weather. However, these treats are high in sugar and calories. Shaved ice, for example, can exceed 400 calories when topped with milk, fruit cocktails, and jelly. Adding cookies or chocolates can increase calorie and sugar intake compared to regular meals.
Juice
Many places that sell fruit juices add simple sugars like sugar or honey to enhance the flavor. Simple sugars are concentrated in calories and promote a rise in blood sugar. If you’re on a diet or a diabetic and you’re going to drink juice as a dessert, it’s better to consume 100% fresh fruit juice without syrup containing sugar.
Salad
Salad, usually known to be eaten before a meal, is said to help reduce visceral fat when consumed after a meal. In Europe, the culture of eating salad after the main dish is known to be a healthy eating habit for the abdomen. Eating salad after a meal helps digestion and is rich in fiber because it contains vegetables and fruits. Therefore, it can serve as a healthy snack instead of a high-calorie dessert.
Chewing Gum After a Meal
Chewing gum is known to help with dieting, and chewing gum right after a meal can lead to skipping dessert and snacking less, reducing calorie intake. According to research, people who chew gum consume about 40 fewer calories between meals, which definitely has an effect. If you’re having difficulty resisting the temptation of snacks, why not try replacing them with gum?
By. Shin Young Jeon
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