HUNGER PANGS? REACH FOR A HARD-BOILED EGG

YOU may think you get an energy boost from eating something sweet. But that’s just an impression caused by the release of the feelgood hormone dopamine in the brain, giving a mini high.

In fact, a sweet snack doesn’t give more energy than a savoury snack – and can actually make you more tired shortly afterwards.

A biscuit, cup of sweet tea or a chocolate bar on an empty stomach are sure-fire ways to create an unhealthy blood sugar spike.

Moreover, a glucose spike from a sweet food is worse than a glucose spike from starchy food (such as toast). This is because it contains sucrose, which is made up of glucose and fructose molecules, and any glucose spike from sweet food will be matched by a corresponding fructose spike. Fructose is potentially more damaging as it inflames the body, ages cells and turns to fat more rapidly than glucose does.

A blood sugar spike triggers the body to release insulin to take that excess glucose into storage units throughout the body and protect us from damage. While glucose can be turned into glycogen and stored in both the liver and muscles, fructose can only be stored as fat.

By flattening our glucose curves, we also naturally flatten fructose curves.

Ideally, your body would prefer you to forgo all snacks to give longer gaps between meals, allowing cells to get on with the essential housekeeping they are unable to do while you’re digesting. If you do feel hungry between meals, choose something savoury. But if you cannot resist something sweet, it’s best to delay and have it after your next meal – preferably enjoying it (riskfree) as a dessert, causing a minimal glucose hike and less damage.