Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar is a celebrated name in the health and wellness space, with an illutrious portfolio that includes Bollywood celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Kangana Ranaut to name a few.
In a recent video shared by Tweak India on their YouTube channel, Diwekar was interviewed by Pooja Dhingra on all things weight loss and healthy eating. When the conversation shifted to dessert options for weight watchers, the expert said, “I don’t touch almond flour cakes or millet cakes. I want the pure stuff: full fat, full sugar, full maida, if I’m having it.”
Diwekar doesn’t believe in ‘healthy desserts’
According to her, healthy desserts are a no-go because ‘regular food is healthy’.
“When a dessert is consumed in the right frequency, it is already healthy. There is a reason someone made this recipe with so much butter, so much sugar, so much flour, and baked it at this temperature — because that’s the one that can leave behind a legacy. The minute you reduce food to carbohydrates, protein, fat, and calories, you begin to lose joy. You start to second guess every morsel you eat, and your default becomes making everything less tasty than it is,” she explained.
Diwekar shared that when you drink milk, choose whole-fat milk versus low-fat milk. And when you’re eating an egg. have the whole egg versus just the egg white.
Why? “Because then you don’t crave for anything or any sugar later in the night. Then you’re not constantly feeling hangry, thinking, ‘I want food, I’m not satiated’. Then you can actually eat and taste your food out of a decision, not desperation,” the nutritionist added.
What is the right way to enjoy desserts? (Source: Freepik)
How far is this true?
Dr Richa Chatturvedi, senior consultant of endocrinology, at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals told indianexpress.com that just like Diweakar said, if you are mindful of the frequency and portion, it is possible to indulge in desserts once a while without inviting trouble. “If you want to eat dessert have control over it. Eat desserts which have natural sugar instead of sweets or chocolates that promise to be sugar-free. This way, you get mental satisfaction and don’t eat desserts throughout the week because your cravings are satiated,” she explained.
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According to her, desserts tend to cause significant spikes in blood sugar levels, and frequent and prolonged elevated blood sugar levels can increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It can also contribute to an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic health conditions.
However, timing also plays a key role. “Generally, it is recommended to consume desserts after a meal rather than on an empty stomach, as the presence of other nutrients can help slow down the absorption of sugars,” she added.
