From exotic fruits– these sweets have become so firmly established in our lives that we can no longer imagine it without another portion of dessert. But have you ever thought about the dangers of sweets? About the fact that sugars spoil our teeth, skin and organs? If not, then this article is for you. Today we will talk about the supposed harm of sweet foods.

What are sweets for?

Back in school, in biology lessons, we were taught that sweet foods are a source of carbohydrates. And carbohydrates are a source of energy necessary for work human body. Accordingly, the benefit of sweets is that with its help a person receives energy for his life.

Does this mean that sugars are healthy substances? This issue has its own nuances. First, it’s worth understanding the types of carbohydrates and their purpose.

All carbohydrates can be divided into two types.

1. Simple - substances consisting of one or two sugar molecules. Monosaccharides include glucose, galactose and fructose. Disaccharides include sucrose and lactose with maltose. Simple compounds are digested quite quickly and saturate the human body with energy in the shortest possible time. Such substances are necessary for athletes (in the form) for muscle synthesis of glycogen and for children to provide energy to a growing body.
2. Complex - represented by a class of polysaccharides. They consist of hundreds of thousands of monosaccharide molecules; when they enter the human body, they provide energy and support metabolism.

Sometimes in separate species secrete fiber - it is classified as insoluble carbohydrates. Our body needs it to saturate it and regulate metabolic processes. Contained in the fibers of vegetables and fruits.

Let's look at the benefits and harms of all types of sugars using a table.

Type of connection	Benefits for humans	Possible harm
Monosaccharides	Glucose is the main element of all types of sugars. It facilitates fast delivery nutrients to cells, regulates energy metabolism. Galactose helps fill tissues with energy, which is especially important for people involved in physical activity. It can also lead to rapid loss excess weight, and for the adult population it can serve as a means of prevention diabetes mellitus.	Fructose can lead to digestive disorders and increase the amount of lipids in the blood.
Disaccharides	Increases performance and helps improve memory. They lift your spirits. Lactose improves the absorption of calcium into the blood. Maltose helps absorb B vitamins and amino acids into the blood.	They disrupt metabolism and contribute to the destruction of tooth enamel. IN childhood an excess of disaccharides can lead to neuroses. Lactose can cause severe allergies in young children.
Polysaccharides	Due to the fact that complex compounds are slowly digested in the small intestine, a person feels full longer.	Excess carbohydrates can lead to excess weight.
Cellulose	Due to the fact that fiber is not digested by the body, it helps cleanse the intestines of food debris and toxins.	Excessive consumption of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables can cause digestive disorders and bowel problems.

Harm of sweets for an adult

Each of us at least once in our lives has pampered ourselves with delicious foods - sweets, cakes or marmalade. After eating them, you get delight, euphoria and a feeling of peace. But excessive consumption of such food is fraught with devastating consequences for the body of an adult.

Instant sugars in large quantities are capable of disrupting the functioning of organs and systems quite significantly. In order to prevent the development of serious pathologies, it is worth knowing what uncontrolled consumption of sweets can lead to.

• Diabetes. The disease occurs as a response to the constant load of the pancreas. At excessive consumption the pancreas begins to produce sweets a large number of the hormone insulin, which intensively processes glucose. It turns out to be a vicious circle. However, diabetic patients are always advised to carry sweet candy to restore the balance of sugars in the blood after insulin injections.
• Caries and other oral diseases. Sweet food - best source nutrition of microorganisms. If you constantly consume candy and sugary drinks, then caries is guaranteed. To prevent the growth of bacteria, before eating the next portion of sweets, brush your teeth, and then rinse your mouth or chew.
• Large amounts of sweet food leads to the development of pathogenic microflora in the intestines. Under the influence of a sweet environment, microflora actively multiplies and begins to have a detrimental effect on the intestinal walls, causing digestive disorders. In severe cases, uncontrolled consumption of sweets causes the development of ulcerative colitis. And colitis without proper treatment can provoke a cancerous tumor.
• The occurrence of severe allergic reactions. The fact is that modern sweets, especially those that are popular, are made with the addition of various chemical compounds - dyes, preservatives, thickeners. They are very harmful to organs and tissues and can cause allergies and organ dysfunction. In some cases, the use of such additives can become a trigger for the formation of cancer cells.
• Skin problems. Pathogenic microflora, which appears when there is an excess of flour and sweets, causes rashes and pustular formations on the skin. Constantly fed by “harmful” bacteria only intensify inflammation on the skin. They can't handle them pharmaceutical products And ethnoscience. Only a revision of the diet and a special diet can get rid of this problem. In addition to this, an excessive amount simple sugars slows down the formation of collagen and, thereby accelerating the aging process in dermal cells.

How can an adult deal with these pathologies? You must follow simple rules.

1. Limit your intake of sugary foods to one daily serving. The allowed amount is about 30-50 g of sugar. This amount of sweetness is contained in 5-10 teaspoons granulated sugar or one bottle. About the same amount pure sugar contained in 500 grams of sweet fruit or half a chocolate bar.
2. Drink enough clean water. Water is the best catalyst for metabolic processes in the human body.
3. Exercise physical activity. Sport is the best remedy to remove excess calories and normalize metabolic processes in the body.
4. Give preference to natural sweets good quality, not cheap caramels and milk bars.
5. If the body is predisposed to pathologies internal organs(for example, if your parents had hypertension or diabetes), you should limit your consumption of sweets. With such heredity, the probability of getting sick is quite high.

Harm of sweets for children

A child's body is more sensitive to pathogenic factors than an adult. Detrimental effects in children environment and substances more quickly provokes the development of diseases of various types.

Excess sweets for a child’s body can result in serious problems.

1. Obesity. Due to the lack of awareness of parents and other relatives about real harm confectionery and sweets can bring your baby to a terrible state. This is especially true in cases where a child is introduced to sweet candies or chocolate from infancy. Fast carbohydrates will go into extra calories, which will be converted into fat. Treating such children is quite problematic, so parents should not neglect the health of their baby.
2. Overexcitement, even to the point of nervous breakdowns. This is due to the ability of sugars to affect nerve fibers. And in childhood, the nervous system is not strong enough, which leads to such phenomena. This fact has been scientifically proven, so do not allow children to eat a lot of sweet foods in order to maintain the psycho-emotional harmony of the baby.
3. Caries and gum dysfunction. Excess sugar provokes the active formation of plaque on teeth and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. They damage the structure of the enamel, provoke inflammation of the gums and tongue, and cause hypersensitivity of nerve endings.
4. Severe allergic reactions due to the large number harmful additives in sweets. These additives cause not only allergies, but also the development of cancer cells. They can also cause addiction to sweets.

Many pediatricians do not advise giving children under one year of age any sweet foods. The optimal age for introducing sweets into a child’s diet is considered to be 2-3 years. At this time, you can gradually introduce sweets made yourself from proven products. Let your child try a berry smoothie or homemade milk sweets - your child will surely like this dessert.

What can replace unhealthy sweets?

Of course, everyone already understands that it is quite difficult to deny yourself or your child another portion of sweets. In order not to experience excruciating discomfort from the desire to try delicious product, just replace unhealthy candy mass production of something useful.

The following options are suitable alternatives.

• Honey and dried fruits. Prunes and dried apricots are quite sweet and do not require additional sugar. You can use them to make yoghurts, casseroles, puddings and homemade ice cream.
• Candied fruit. Dried pieces of fruits and berries contain a sufficient amount of useful substances.
• Paste. The sweet is prepared from pureed fresh fruit with minimal added sugar.
• . The most delicate dessert from proteins and applesauce will delight even little gourmets. The only caveat is that it is not recommended to give marshmallows made from raw proteins to babies.
• Marmalade. This dessert has been known for hundreds of years. Its fruity, refreshing taste is popular all over the world. And homemade variations on the theme of marmalade will not leave anyone indifferent.

You should be extremely careful when choosing sweets. Remember that sweet foods can not only lift your mood, but also cause illness. Give preference to natural sweets and be healthy.

Food with increased content sugar is attractive to most people - this is a scientifically proven fact. The point here is not intemperance or promiscuity: from infancy, we associate sweet food with a feeling of peace and security - this is what a baby experiences when he absorbs mother’s milk. In addition, once sugar enters the body, it enhances the production of “happiness hormones” that we all so need. But the life of those with a sweet tooth is rarely cloudless: their favorite dishes cause too much damage to their health and appearance. Fortunately, the negative impact can be minimized. You just need to understand which sweets are the most harmful and what to replace them with.

Sticky goodies

Chewy sweets, sweets, toffees and caramels with liquid fillings, traditionally considered children's treats, are much more harmful than other types of treats. It is these that caring mothers and grandmothers most often buy for children, mistakenly believing that such candies are healthier than chocolate ones. Actually this is not true. There are practically no natural ingredients in toffees and sweets, but there are many synthetic additives that not only have a bad effect on digestion, but also addictive. There is nothing more harmful to tooth enamel than the remains of a sticky “yummy” - the most favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. Experts say that children accustomed to such sweets become victims of caries much more often than their peers, whose parents were more careful in choosing sweets.

Source: depositphotos.com

Eating cookies, pastries, sweet rolls and cakes causes irreparable harm digestive organs, causes metabolic failures, worsens the condition blood vessels. For lovers similar products there is a high risk of developing hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, liver damage and many other serious ailments. At the same time, it is the sweet flour products of industrial origin that are the most dangerous. In an effort to obtain maximum benefit, manufacturers use harmful components for their production, replacing butter cheap margarine and others vegetable fats. In combination with sugar, these substances are a real time bomb that gradually destroys internal organs.

Source: depositphotos.com

The harm that delicacies of this kind can cause is mainly due to intrusive and unreliable advertising. By informing that the bars are an excellent product for quickly satisfying hunger, she misleads the buyer. By eating another Snickers, a person actually receives a significant portion of calories, but they are all contained in sugar (that is, they are fast carbohydrates) and a large amount of unhealthy fats. As a result, hunger quickly returns, and a lot of completely unnecessary substances enter the body. Many bars contain caramel and nougat, the use of which contributes to the destruction of tooth enamel. And the word “chocolate” in this case hardly corresponds to reality: the glaze covering the bars natural chocolate contains almost no

Source: depositphotos.com

Our favorite prunes, dried apricots and other dried and dried fruits are also not entirely harmless, especially when consumed in large quantities. Of course, the vitamins and microelements included in their composition are useful. But we must not forget that all substances, including sugar, are contained in dried fruits in high concentration. For example, dried dates are rightfully considered one of the sweetest foods on Earth. In addition, manufacturers often use preservatives and other additives that improve appearance products of this kind. Therefore, dried fruits should be selected carefully and consumed in moderation. Their uncontrolled use, instead of the expected benefits, can be harmful to health.

Source: depositphotos.com

What to do if you still want something sweet? It is worth replacing harmful “snacks” with safer ones. Nutritionists advise, for example, to buy sugar-free lollipops. They may contain sorbitol or other substitutes, but small quantities, and the main ingredients are natural fruit and berry juices.

It is better to prefer chocolate bars and candies chocolate bar dark and bitter varieties. It contains natural antioxidants and other beneficial substances, and there are very few harmful fats in it.

Some fruits (bananas, persimmons) also help quench your sweet tooth. In addition, bars sold in pharmacies and containing muesli, honey and dried berries. They have good taste and low calorie content.

Before the holidays, when it is difficult to do without sweets, it makes sense not to skimp and give preference to products that are more expensive, but of high quality. When choosing pastries or a cake in a well-known confectionery shop, you can find out exactly their composition and enjoy it calmly, without the risk of eating a huge portion of fats of dubious origin. But the most preferable is consumption (in moderation, of course) homemade baked goods, tasty and safe.

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Comments on the material (11):

I quote Alexander:

I agree with you in essence, but in fairness, I note that the article tells you how to pamper yourself, excluding forbidden delicacies.

I quote Alexander:

That's it, life is over!)) Almost all of my delicacies are listed. What to pamper yourself with? Steamed turnips? :)
Friends, don’t take this advice too seriously. There are many people with a sweet tooth who have lived to a ripe old age. True, there is one nuance. You can pamper yourself with anything if you don’t sit on your butt 24/7 days, but work actively and know the way to the stadium. Quote: "I'll give any cutlet for a chocolate bar!" - V. Alekno, coach of the volleyball team.

Everything stated in the article is true as two and two equal four. If, after eating sweet and carbohydrate foods, you experience significant thirst and drink and drink, and at the same time constantly run around, then this is a disease caused precisely by these foods and their uncontrolled consumption.

I quote Alexander:

That's it, life is over!)) Almost all of my delicacies are listed. What to pamper yourself with? Steamed turnips? :)
Friends, don’t take this advice too seriously. There are many people with a sweet tooth who have lived to a ripe old age. True, there is one nuance. You can pamper yourself with anything if you don’t sit on your butt 24/7 days, but work actively and know the way to the stadium. Quote: "I'll give any cutlet for a chocolate bar!" - V. Alekno, coach of the volleyball team.

Everything is good in moderation :-) dark chocolate, honey, dried fruits - this is what you need! I dare say that if you drink liters of spring water at once, death is quite possible. :-). Taffy and Snickers, of course, are chemicals, but just wash and stir dried fruits. Life is motion!

Tatyana / 04 Feb 2017, 04:24

I quote Gregory:

Have you checked your blood sugar levels on an empty stomach and throughout the day? It looks like you have symptoms of diabetes. By changing your diet you have reduced their manifestation. Still, I advise you to measure your blood sugar.

I quote Gregory:

And I gave up sweets. Sugar for me = a drug - my hands shake without it and my head is spinning, I walk around all broken, depressed, and so on for 10 years. I haven’t eaten sweets for 5 days, I replaced everything, even White bread and removed the flour - the mood now appears from ordinary communication or from a beautiful sunset, I live life, I can even run to the bus, and it’s easy to walk from the metro for 30 minutes! So much time for hobbies, I started steaming and boiling all sorts of vegetables, bought honey for everyone, fructose oatmeal cookies, for the first time in my life all this lasted more than 1 day. So I advise everyone who has depression for no reason* and constant fatigue for no reason*, feel free to change your life, otherwise you are slaves to the refined sugar industry, which is killing you psychologically. Oh, well, I lost 3 more teeth by the time I was 17, but it’s fixable :)

100%! WELL DONE!

I quote Gregory:

And I gave up sweets. Sugar for me = a drug - my hands shake without it and my head is spinning, I walk around all broken, depressed, and so on for 10 years. I haven’t eaten sweets for 5 days, I replaced everything, even removed the white bread and flour - the mood now appears from ordinary communication or from a beautiful sunset, I live life, I can even run to the bus, and from the metro it’s a 30-minute walk - easy! So much time for hobbies, I started steaming and boiling all sorts of vegetables, bought honey for everyone, fructose oatmeal cookies, for the first time in my life all this lasted more than 1 day. So I advise everyone who has depression for no reason* and constant fatigue for no reason*, feel free to change your life, otherwise you are slaves to the refined sugar industry, which is killing you psychologically. Oh, well, I lost 3 more teeth by the time I was 17, but it’s fixable :)

Regular consumption of fructose in the absence of diabetes is extremely harmful. To a healthy person Sugar is less harmful.

I quote Gregory:

And I gave up sweets. Sugar for me = a drug - my hands shake without it and my head is spinning, I walk around all broken, depressed, and so on for 10 years. I haven’t eaten sweets for 5 days, I replaced everything, even removed the white bread and flour - the mood now appears from ordinary communication or from a beautiful sunset, I live life, I can even run to the bus, and from the metro it’s a 30-minute walk - easy! So much time for hobbies, I started steaming and boiling all sorts of vegetables, bought honey for everyone, fructose oatmeal cookies, for the first time in my life all this lasted more than 1 day. So I advise everyone who has depression for no reason* and constant fatigue for no reason*, feel free to change your life, otherwise you are slaves to the refined sugar industry, which is killing you psychologically. Oh, well, I lost 3 more teeth by the time I was 17, but it’s fixable :)

And I'm going sugar-free for a year! And I'm cool! You look different right away! And by the way, whoever doesn’t eat sugar looks younger, so sweet lovers, if you don’t care what happens to your appearance, go ahead, and at 70 I’ll look 45, like an Australian woman who hasn’t eaten sugar since she was 27 (who It’s interesting to google it on the Internet). And I’m not even 27 yet, and I’ve already given up on him. Sugar is evil, it destroys blood vessels in the brain and leads to aging, and is worse than cocaine. The most powerful drug in the world, which is why it is so difficult to give up.

I quote Ani:

I quote Gregory:

And I gave up sweets. Sugar for me = a drug - my hands shake without it and my head is spinning, I walk around all broken, depressed, and so on for 10 years. I haven’t eaten sweets for 5 days, I replaced everything, even removed the white bread and flour - the mood now appears from ordinary communication or from a beautiful sunset, I live life, I can even run to the bus, and from the metro it’s a 30-minute walk - easy! So much time for hobbies, I started steaming and boiling all sorts of vegetables, bought honey for everyone, fructose oatmeal cookies, for the first time in my life all this lasted more than 1 day. So I advise everyone who has depression for no reason* and constant fatigue for no reason*, feel free to change your life, otherwise you are slaves to the refined sugar industry, which is killing you psychologically. Oh, well, I lost 3 more teeth by the time I was 17, but it’s fixable :)

And I'm going sugar-free for a year! And I'm cool! You look different right away! And by the way, whoever doesn’t eat sugar looks younger, so sweet lovers, if you don’t care what happens to your appearance, go ahead, and at 70 I’ll look 45, like an Australian woman who hasn’t eaten sugar since she was 27 (who It’s interesting to google it on the Internet). And I’m not even 27 yet, and I’ve already given up on him. Sugar is evil, it destroys blood vessels in the brain and leads to aging, and is worse than cocaine. The most powerful drug in the world, which is why it is so difficult to give up.

As I understand it, the people who write here: “refuse sweets” are ordinary trolls. The people have less and less money, we can’t afford much, and hence the anger at the rulers. This is where pseudo-doctors appear, who classify almost all products as harmful and dangerous.)) Toffees are made from milk and sugar - this is “very harmful”, which means milk and sugar are also harmful! Eat grass, you don’t need any money at all!

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Both children and adults simply love desserts. Most often, candies act as sweets. different types. However, the life of those with a sweet tooth is not so happy. Of course, on the one hand, high-quality chocolate candies They really are excellent antidepressants, thanks to which the mood quickly improves. Don't forget about the dangers of sweets. Any sweets can harm the human body, especially if consumed in large quantities. Even an adult can develop an allergy to certain sweets if he eats them uncontrollably.

Experts do not recommend eating cheap sweets. But even if a person buys only high-quality sweets, he can eat no more than 50 g of sugar-containing foods per day. It is recommended to consume sweets after meals.

The benefits of sweets

As mentioned earlier, thanks to sweets, a person’s mood significantly improves. are the best praise and a pleasant surprise.

If we are talking about a dark chocolate dessert, then in this case it will contain a large amount of cocoa. As you know, this component is able to stop inflammatory processes and also perfectly neutralizes infections.

In addition, quality products contain healthy carbohydrates, which help a person get the necessary energy for the whole day. Speaking about the benefits and harms of chocolate candies, it is worth noting that their consumption has a positive effect on the hematopoietic function of the body of an adult and a child.

The harm of sweets

It all depends on what kind of sweets we're talking about. Lollipops and cheap "icicles" contain great amount Sahara. This component is a low molecular weight carbohydrate, which includes glucose, sucrose, fructose and other components. Every time a person puts another candy into the body, the sucrose that is present in it provokes the formation of lactic acid. Because of this, the natural acidic environment in a person’s mouth is disrupted.

Speaking about why sweets are harmful, you need to take into account that if a child eats sweets only after lunch, then the plaque remaining on the enamel after eating food can protect the teeth from negative impact Sahara. But if children abuse sweets, this will in any case harm tooth enamel. Especially if the child requires sweets a few hours after meals or before lunch. In this case, the enamel is exposed, which is why even the strongest teeth will begin to suffer from caries and other problems.

In addition, the sugar contained in sweets only further increases a person’s appetite. Therefore, if you eat lollipops and other sweets every day, there is a high risk of gaining weight. Also, excessive consumption of sweets can provoke the development of diabetes. High blood sugar causes the skin to age too quickly. Also, sweets are strictly prohibited for those who suffer from atherosclerosis.

If sweets contain flavorings and other artificial additives, then they certainly cannot benefit the body. You need to be especially careful when handling toffees.

Contraindications

Very often, sweet candies are the main allergen for young children. It is because of this that they may develop diathesis. In addition, those who suffer from liver disease are prohibited from eating such sweets. If children eat sweets uncontrollably, then the regulatory mechanisms and metabolic functions in the children’s bodies change. This leads to increased stress on the liver and other organs.

Among other things, if a person consumes too many carbohydrates during the day, then against this background the secretion of gastric juice increases significantly. Most often, children who have been diagnosed with a disorder of the autonomic system suffer from this problem.

Speaking about the benefits and harms of sweets, it is worth considering that because of sweets, a person may suffer from heartburn, nausea and stomach pain. Experts recommend consuming exclusively chocolate candies. However, the main component of such sweets can vary significantly depending on the preparation method.

Varieties of chocolate

A regular chocolate candy can contain from 25 to 99% cocoa products. It is worth paying attention to the composition of the dessert. If it contains a large amount of grated cocoa or butter, then in this case the person is looking at dark chocolate. If you ask any doctor which sweets are the most harmless, then any specialist will confirm that this type of sweets is the most beneficial for the human body.

Classic or ordinary bars usually contain from 35% to 60% cocoa products. There are also candies in which you can find vegetable oils. You need to remember that they should not be in high-quality products.

White and milky

Such sweets are most often found on store shelves. Children and adults love it; however, it is considered one of the least beneficial for the human body, since it contains no more than 35% cocoa products. Thus, there are practically no useful components.

If we are talking about white chocolate, then it does not contain cocoa at all. Instead, this type of sweet contains more than 40% fat. More White chocolate prepared using powdered sugar, milk powder, vanilla and salt.

Dessert and porous

This type of dessert was achieved thanks to in various ways processing. If we are talking about dessert chocolate, then in this case the product will be extremely delicate. This is explained by the fact that during the manufacturing process, cocoa beans are fermented for a very long time. Therefore, the finished chocolate bar or candy is distinguished by its aromatic and taste qualities.

Porous sweets are made from specially prepared chocolate mass into which CO2 gas is supplied. After the sweet product is saturated with it, bubbles appear, which gradually expand and increase the volume of chocolate.

What chocolates can be given to children?

If we are talking about high-quality dark chocolate, then in this case the product will be rich in antioxidants. This means that if a person periodically eats such sweets, he will improve his performance. of cardio-vascular system. In addition, dark chocolate increases the body's protective functions and improves metabolic processes. It often contains various useful components that help with severe stress. However, keep in mind that it also contains caffeine. It is safe for adults and helps them improve memory performance as well as attention. But it is not recommended to give such chocolate to small children, as there is a risk that the baby will suffer from overexcitation nervous system.

In addition, chocolate, even if it is completely natural, can cause an allergic reaction in the baby. Therefore, very young children should not be given dark chocolate. However, this does not cause major problems, since babies prefer very sweet treats.

Children under 5 years old can be given white or milk chocolate. However, you need to carefully study the composition of the sweets you buy. If we talk about how much candy you can eat per day, then it all depends on the size and composition of the sweet. It is usually not recommended to give fidgets more than 50 grams of treats per day.

Marshmallow marmalade and pastille

If we are talking about sweets of this type, it will be useful to know that such sweets will be lower in calories. This is explained by the fact that they contain practically no fat. If we are talking about high-quality products, then they will be made from berries or fruit puree with the addition of sugar, proteins, pectin, gelatin and other components.

If the sweet contains agar-agar, then in this case such sweets are the most useful. The product is prepared from red algae. As a rule, it is used to replace artificial gelatin. Agar-agar contains: iodine, calcium, iron and other components.

Talking about benefits and harms jelly sweets, you should pay attention to pectin. If it is present in sweets, then this indicates that they are made from natural products. This component is distinguished by its natural fruity taste with some sourness. However, because of this, very often manufacturers begin to add aromatic and flavorings. If they are absent, but pectin is present, then this component will help remove toxins from the body, reduce cholesterol levels and improve metabolic processes.

If the sweets contain gelatin, then you need to understand that it is made from animal connective tissue. On the one hand, it can be given to children, since it can have a positive effect on the structure of bone tissue, on the other hand, today gelatin is very often made from artificial components.

Features of marmalade and marshmallows

Marmalade candies are very light and dietary. If such a product is made using ancient technologies, then this indicates that berries and fruit jellies. In fruit and berry marmalade much more pectin. However, there are also candies of this type on sale that are made on the basis of gelatin or a starch thickener. They are very harmful.

Although children love marmalade, which takes longer to chew, such a product cannot be called natural. Most often, beeswax is added to it, which is responsible for its dense consistency. Best to buy gummy candies, which are quickly bitten off and chewed.

If we are talking about marshmallows, then in this case the marshmallow mass is mixed with egg yolk. It is recommended to give such products to children no more than several times a week. If the candies are coated with chocolate, then in this case you should not treat very young children with such sweets.

Mint candies: benefits and harms

If we are talking about sweets with natural menthol, then it has a lot useful properties. For example, this component is an excellent antiseptic and analgesic. In addition, it calms and helps get rid of the first symptoms. colds. At high temperature it helps to cool the body and provide some relief.

However, not all store-bought “icicles” with menthol or mint flavor have these properties. Most often they contain a huge amount of sugar and flavorings. Therefore, such sweets belong to the category of ordinary candies.

Prohibited additives

Speaking about the benefits and harms of sweets, you need to take into account that some unscrupulous manufacturers add components to sweets that have long been prohibited in the Russian Federation. For example, you should not buy lollipops that contain the E121 additive. It is responsible for the red color and gives the product a beautiful citrus tint. The same goes for E123. You should also be wary of preservatives. For example, formaldehyde was found in component E240. By and large, products with this addition can be classified in the same way as arsenic.

Sweet foods are rightly considered almost the main cause of excess weight. Therefore, those who watch their figure try to avoid them. But our life cannot consist of continuous restrictions. Fortunately, there are low-calorie sweets that will allow you to enjoy the sweet taste, but are also relatively safe for your figure. What sweets can you eat without fear of gaining weight?

Fruits and berries

Fruits and berries are also sweet foods. It is not only , but also low-calorie.

For example, the calorie content of raspberries, plums, apricots, watermelon, kiwi, apples and even relatively high-calorie bananas does not exceed 65 kcal per 100 g. For comparison: the calorie content of milk chocolate is 547 kcal, puff pastry - 544 kcal, waffles - 530 kcal, sunflower halva– 516 kcal per 100 g.

Fruits and berries can be eaten in fresh, and you can prepare a variety of desserts from them - jellies, mousses, smoothies, sorbets, fruit salads. These healthy sweets will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide your body with vitamins and minerals.

Reader Questions

18 October 2013, 17:25 Good afternoon Are there any restrictions on the amount of fruit you can eat in one day? I really love fruit, but I recently read that you can only eat half a kilo a day in total. Is this true? Is it necessary to limit yourself? and one more thing: if the soup is stored in the refrigerator, does it retain its beneficial substances? And after the second boil? Thanks a lot!

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Dried fruits

The calorie content of dried fruits is much higher than that of fresh fruits and berries - approximately 200-270 kcal. But still, sweet foods are lower-calorie sweets than candies, chocolate or gingerbread.

Dried apricots, raisins, prunes, figs and other healthy sweets in the form of dried fruits improve digestion, help cleanse the intestines, are rich in vitamins and other useful substances. If you eat a handful of dried fruits every day as dessert, you don’t have to worry about your figure.

Natural dairy desserts

Now you know what sweets you can eat without fear of gaining weight. But, of course, in the case of low-calorie sweets it all depends on their number. Do not forget that half a kilogram is healthy sweets how marmalade is more dangerous for the figure than, for example, one “harmful” waffle.

Elena Kukuevitskaya

Rospotrebnadzor told what sweets to give to a child on New Year. “Proper” sweets should contain a minimum of food additives and preservatives. You should not give sweets with high content homogenized fats and oils, since additives in sweets often lead to childhood allergies.

Doctors also remind that a baby can choke on small candy. You cannot give a child candy if it contains more than 0.5% alcohol. The safest confectionery products for children are biscuits, marshmallows and marshmallows. At the same time, doctors note that a child’s consumption of any sweets must be limited.

MIR 24 asked nutritionist Elena Solomatina which sweets to buy for children and which to avoid.

- Personally, what sweets do you buy for children?

E.S.: I try natural ones, those that contain . It also depends on the age of the child. If the child is small, then milk chocolate. The less cocoa powder in chocolate, the better. Cocoa butter should be present, but cocoa powder should be less. But this only applies to children; adults can have any chocolate.

Now let's discuss the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor. The first is to strive to ensure that the content of food additives and preservatives in confectionery was minimal. What sweets are we talking about? What does the department advise not to buy?

E.S.: These are cheap sweets, caramels, which contain a lot of dyes. This may be a “healthy” (many people actually consider it healthy) marmalade. It would be beneficial if it were made without additives or flavorings. These are other cheap candies that are also very harmful to children.