With Halloween right around the corner, sweets lovers everywhere are gearing up for the festivities and feasting. But before you beat yourself up for over-indulging in the sugary pleasures the holiday has to offer, consider this; sweets aren’t as bad for your health as you may think.
Here are five reasons why sweets are healthier than they seem, and you don’t have to feel guilty the next time you reach for the phone and call in that cake delivery.
People Who Eat Sweets Regularly Live Longer
The numbers don’t lie. A study conducted at Harvard University found that those that enjoy sweets between one and three times a month lived longer than those that don’t indulge ever. Even people who eat sweets every day lived longer than those that never give in to their cravings. Therefore, in the interests of longevity, we should all indulge every now and then.
Chocolate Has Been Linked to Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
While scientists are still debating the validity of this claim, initial research indicates that chocolate lovers are less susceptible to cardiovascular disease. A study found that people who consume chocolate five times a week are reportedly 60% less likely to have heart disease.
Eating Dessert Helps with Weight Control
Cutting desserts out of your diet altogether actually makes it harder to control your weight. Studies have indicated that adults that eat desserts regularly have more success in weight loss.
It might sound far-fetched but think about it. When you are dieting and deliberately prohibit yourself from eating desserts and sweets, sugar cravings are unbearable. When you eventually cave, you binge, overeat, and ultimately, gain weight.
If you allow yourself the occasional treat and regularly indulge yourself in a dessert, you satisfy the sugar cravings without binging or overeating. You can then sustain an otherwise restricted diet for much longer, leading to better weight control.
Chocolate Helps Protect Against Strokes
Neurologists in Sweden monitored 37,000 men aged between 45 and 79 across 10 years. They found that the participants that ate the most chocolate were 17% less likely to suffer from a stroke than those that never ate chocolate.
It is worth noting before you reach for a slice of chocolate fudge cake, subsequent studies have revealed that the stroke-preventing properties are only found in dark chocolate that contains over 65% cocoa. Still, it’s a good reason to treat yourself to the dark stuff every now and then.
Cake in the Morning Can Lead to Weight Loss
Researchers in Tel Aviv studied the impact a slice of cake or cookie for breakfast had on weight loss, and their findings were not what you might expect.
They compared the weight loss success of two groups. One group had a 600-calorie breakfast including a slice of cake or a cookie. The other group ate a 300-calorie, protein-packed breakfast with egg whites, tuna, cheese and milk.
The researchers found that those who ate cake and cookies were less hungry throughout the day and as a result, suffered fewer sugar cravings. This allowed them to control their diet better and continue losing weight throughout the study, a feat those eating the 300-calorie breakfast were largely unable to match.