If you’re trying to lose weight—or even just stay as healthy as possible—it’s important not to overindulge on sugar. It’s well-known that consuming too much sugar could lead to a range of health issues. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that choosing sugar-free snacks and sweets is always better. In fact, did you know that many sugar-free desserts can actually be just as bad for you as their sugary counterparts? As it turns out, many of them could even result in weight gain. But why is that?
To answer this question, we checked in with certified nutritionist Krutika Nanavati. She broke down a few of the reasons that sugar-free snacks could take a toll on your body and even thwart your weight loss goals. Find all of her expert insight, as well as some tips for actually eating healthy, below.
Sugar-free snacks and weight gain
If you have a sweet tooth but want to see the number on the scale go down, you may think that reaching for "diet" foods, like sugar-free cake, is a good compromise. Unfortunately, Nanavati says this oftentimes isn't the case. Sugar-free desserts, which typically contain artificial sweeteners and lack nutritional value, come with their own fair share of downsides.
"Sugar-free desserts are those that have been made with an artificial sweetener instead of natural sugar," Nanavati explains. "Common artificial sweeteners used in these desserts include saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium." These sweeteners can come in many forms, including powder, syrup, and even liquid drops. Unfortunately, artificial sweeteners can oftentimes be just as bad for you as sugar itself. They can frequently result in digestive issues, inflammation, and even weight gain.
Believe it or not, artificial sweeteners are often even sweeter than natural sugars. While this may sound like a plus to those of us who love sweet treats, it could be detrimental to your health goals by ramping up your cravings. "This could lead to an increased desire for sweeter foods in general—which could also contribute to weight gain over time," Nanavati explains. If you give into these cravings, you may even ultimately end up indulging in processed, sugary foods—even though avoiding refined sugar was your reason for choosing artificial sweeteners in the first place.
On top of the fact that they contain harmful artificial sweeteners in place of sugar, it's also important to note that "diet" snacks and desserts contain little to no nutritional value. "The main reason why people who eat sugar-free desserts can gain weight faster is that these desserts contain fewer nutrients than regular desserts and often have higher amounts of fat, calories, and carbohydrates," Nanavati notes. Ultimately, you could be loading up on calories just to remain unsatisfied and result to eating even more fattening food. All of this can lead to unwanted weight gain.
So, if refined sugar is a no-go, and sugar-free foods aren't much better, what should you eat when your craving for something sweet hits? Nanavati offers some advice: "Fresh fruit is naturally low in calories and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. It's also much less likely to cause an intense craving for sweets later on," she says. Other good options include frozen Greek yogurt (which is packed with benefits!), chia seed pudding, avocado brownies, and even dark chocolate.
Ultimately, choosing natural sweeteners is the best option for your health. But if your heart is really telling you to eat that piece of chocolate cake every once in a blue moon, remember that giving into your cravings from time to time won't ruin all of your weight loss progress. It could even be the healthy choice in the long run.
