Nutritionist warned about the metabolic risks of frequent sugary snacks

On February 1, Mariana Jutova, dietitian at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), told Izvestia how desserts affect the body and in which cases sweets can increase metabolic risks.

According to the expert, dessert should not be considered as a "reward" or a forbidden product, but as a source of simple carbohydrates, primarily sugar. Glucose is essential for brain and muscle function, but excess glucose is associated with weight gain, metabolic disorders, and increased cardiovascular risks. High intake of free sugars — including added sugars, as well as those found in syrups, honey, and juices — is associated with an increased likelihood of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and oral problems.

"The key role is played not by the fact of dessert consumption itself, but by its quantity and frequency. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting the intake of free sugars to 10% of the daily caloric intake, and ideally to 5%. For an adult, this corresponds to about 25 grams of sugar per day (about six teaspoons). A typical portion of dessert can easily exceed this limit, and regular sweet snacks can be significant," explained Jutova.

It also matters how a person eats dessert. Fast carbohydrates cause sudden spikes in blood glucose, followed by increased hunger and cravings for sweets. Jutova explained that eating dessert after a main meal or in combination with protein and fiber helps smooth out these fluctuations and reduce the risk of so-called sweet swings. However, even in such conditions, large portions of sweets can disrupt the overall calorie balance.

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The doctor emphasized that special care should be taken by people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, prediabetes and insulin resistance. In these cases, regular consumption of sugar can worsen disorders of carbohydrate and fat metabolism. In obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and gout, excess fructose can increase triglyceride and uric acid levels, accelerating the development of complications. In children, frequent sweet snacks are associated not only with the risk of excess weight, but also with caries during the formation of a permanent bite.

A complete rejection of desserts, according to Jutova, rarely turns out to be a sustainable strategy and often leads to breakdowns. A moderate and deliberate approach is considered more effective when sweets become a rare and planned part of the diet. The doctor advises to give preference to small portions, choose desserts with a high protein content and a minimum amount of added sugar, replace sweets with fruits and berries more often, and leave sugary drinks for special occasions.

If a balance is maintained between the caloric content of the diet, sufficient intake of vegetables, protein and whole foods, as well as regular physical activity, dessert can remain part of the diet without significant harm to health, the expert concluded.

On January 26, Anna Oderiy, an endocrinologist at the SM Clinic, spoke about the causes of "chocolate addiction" in winter. One of the key factors is the lack of light. Reducing daylight hours affects the production of serotonin and melatonin, which leads to increased fatigue, decreased mood, and the search for quick sources of pleasure.

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