Do you also start your day with sweets? This habit of eating sweets on an empty stomach can take a toll on your health. Read this important information now and learn how to control it in a healthy way.
Morning Sugar Intake: The habit of eating something sweet as soon as one wakes up in the morning is a part of the daily routine of many people, whether it is biscuits with tea, a piece of sweet or something lightly sweet like bread-jam. But is it really safe to eat sweets on an empty stomach? Is this a simple habit or can it prove harmful for health? Recent research and the opinion of medical experts are quite shocking on this.
When the body receives sweets (glucose or fructose) on an empty stomach, the blood sugar suddenly increases rapidly. This triggers the release of a large amount of insulin hormone in the body. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating sweets on an empty stomach in the morning can increase the risk of insulin resistance which can cause diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity. If this habit continues for a long time, it can badly affect metabolic health.
Energy crash and effects on mood
Dr. Subhash Giri of the Medicine Department at RML Hospital explains that eating sweets on an empty stomach in the morning can give you immediate energy and a good feeling, but after a while when the blood sugar drops, you may experience problems like fatigue, irritability and low energy. This is called sugar crash. This also affects the day's efficiency. Some experts call it reactive hypoglycemia, in which the blood sugar first increases and then falls very fast.
Effects on the stomach and digestion
Processed sugar present in sweets can cause gas, acidity and indigestion if taken on an empty stomach. Eating sweets on an empty stomach can disturb the balance of good bacteria in the stomach. This can cause problems like swelling and bloating in the body. Morning time is very sensitive for the digestive system, so it is better to avoid processed or refined sugar at this time.
What does the research say?
Many studies have found that eating sweets on an empty stomach can activate a hunger-inducing hormone called ghrelin, which can make you feel hungry again and again throughout the day and you may end up overeating. Apart from this, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, people who start their day with healthy and high-fiber foods have better blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control.
What is the right way?
If you feel like eating sweets, it is better to eat it after the main breakfast in the morning or in the afternoon, when the digestive system is active and the body can process the energy better. You can eat fruits like bananas, apples or dates, which are natural sugars and also provide fiber. This increases blood sugar slowly and keeps it stable.
