Desserts are not really used for weight loss, but without desserts life is a little bit less sweet, a bit more deprived, and definitely less social.
Over time a concept of dessert has been modified. Baked goods got shunned just to give rise to fruit bowls or fruits and nuts blends. All this in attempt to add some sweetness after dinner and to facilitate weight loss at the same time.
Bad carbs got replaced by good carbs, or in other words, high glycemic index carbs were replaced by low glycemic index options.
It would all seem fine, however the dietary changes did not make any difference to the weight. Many of my patients who replaced cakes for fruits not necessarily lost weight.
The low glycemic theory seems sound, but in practice it not always works. If you want your cake and eat it too you should follow the following rules below:
How to lose weight on peaches and cream
Fruit is a carb, especially if canned in syrup, so it is bad for weight loss. To decrease its carb impact follow this:
- Choose fresh over canned fruit to avoid extra sugar
- If you use canned fruit rinse it to remove syrup
- Under no condition use canned fruits packed in water. They frequently use artificial sweeteners, which frequently seem to disrupt insulin response
- Choose fruit with low sweetness or low glycemic index such as blueberries, grapefruit, strawberries, etc
- Choose smaller portion, something like ½ cup. Do not use the whole fruit just because it comes that way. Slice it in half and keep the other half for later.
Whipped cream is actually not that bad for weight loss
- Unsweetened variety has next to zero carbohydrates, but it is very satisfying.
- The fat in the whipped cream should have no effect on weight gain unless used with or in vicinity of carbohydrate foods.
- The fat in the whipped cream lowers insulin surge of that meal, so it is great for diabetics
- Do not use any kind of “low fat” variety. It is probably carb-richer, which is not good for weight loss
- Some people do not tolerate dairy and may actually put on weight. This has nothing to do with lactose intolerance, but all to do with inappropriate insulinogenic response.
How not to lose health on peaches and cream
Fruits are generally healthy (fibre, vitamins, pH, calories)
- However, better if they are fresh, not canned. This way you ensure that they are ripe. Many canned fruits are poor quality or unripe, which you cannot see even after opening a can.
- Certified organic fruits are nutrient-denser and have a much wider spectrum of nutrients then their non-organic counterparts
- Fruits may be a problem in people with Candida, fructose intolerance, IBS or in chronic diarrhea cases. Be wise.
Whipped cream may not be considered a health food due to the following:
- Commercially available whipped cream contain additives, which are not health promoting
- Commercially available whipped cream has different nutrient proportion than organic unpasteurized variety. Look for organic produce.
- Amount of fat in the whipped cream may not be tolerated by people with fat mal-digestion or not optimally functional liver
- Saturated fat in the whipped cream is actually not a bad thing. Saturated fat does not promote heart disease or atherosclerosis contrary to popular uninformed opinion. So what does? A low fat diet.
So peaches and cream can be:
- Completely satisfying as a dessert (no baked goods required)
- Healthy if peaches and cream are organic
- A weight loss aid if the rest of the diet is complimentary to weight loss
Uhh, finally something yummy, satisfying, and healthy at the same time.
