Best time to eat sweets?
 

Like ice cream or other sugary treats, even fruit. After doing some research through google I've read a ton of different advice...even one saying that it's bad to eat sweets on a full stomach because the sugars ferment creating alcohol, which correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the fermenting process take like a week?

So the main question for me is; is it better/healthier to eat sweets on a full or empty stomach? But I'm also curious about times of day it might be better. I was thinking morning would actually be best since your body would have more time to use up that energy throughout the day vs storing it and your blood sugar would have plenty of time to normalize before you went to sleep.

Well, I've always been told the worst time to eat sweets was right before going to bed. The theory being that your body will store most of it rather than burning it.

I'd guess that you're right about eating them earlier in the day, or perhaps before increased activity. Gives your system more time to burn it rather than store it.

My doctor a few years ago advised me never to eat an abundance of sugar or carbs after noon. But, I am in my late 40s and lead a less active lifestyle.

If I eat sweets late in the evening I have nightmares...never fails! I'm not aware of the recommended, best time to eat sweets, but in moderation is always wise as the human body stores excess glucose as fat.

I sometimes have wonderfully odd dreams if I eat a lot of icecream before bed.

As for fermenting in the stomach, you also need something digesting the sugar (other than you) that gives off alcohol as a waste product (yes, it's yeast pee!!). Yeast doesn't do well in the pH of the stomach, and I know of no organism that can live in the gut that could produce alcohol. When you eat sugar.. YOU digest it, and we don't produce alcohol.

she-lish speak (APD): its all about the sugarload. she doesnt recomend anything but a good breakfast in the morning, so no ice cream or sweets.

for lunch, if you are having anything with high energy or carbs, then she doesnt recommend having any sweets straight after a meal with a high energy content as this will cause a spike in your sugar levels that have already spiked. people with diabetes know all about this spike as they try and regulate their sugar levels.

she-lish recommends that if you're going to snack on something like this to take it between meals. for example between lunch and dinner, but not straight after or right before a meal with high sugar or energy content.

---------- Post added at 04:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:42 AM ----------

oh yeah..and the alcohol theory is a load of crock

I'm glad to see shelish's two cents here.

In the morning! I had frozen yogurt for breakfast the other day, the best breakfast in a long time. Also, you have all day to work some if not all of the calories off.

No upon waking, no right before sleeping, the rest of the day is probably okay so long as you don't overdo it. Personally, I'd suggest having something small, like a chocolate, right before a workout. I try to have a tiny bit of carbs right before either going to the gym or running, though for me it's usually half a banana.

I have trouble sleeping if I eat sweets within an hour or so before going to bed. so I usually avoid sweets late at night...


I have used candy to give me an extra boost for a workout... great way to help get thru a workout if you feel like you're gonna be dragging before you get started... eat a few gummi bears or suck on a hard candy while your warming up... it can really make a big difference sometimes.

I'm sorry. I don't understand.

Will eating sweets at the optimum time extend your life or make you healthier?

Does it really matter?

Will having a chocolate bar at 10am USA EST non daylight savings make you live longer? Oh wait, I live in Spain . . Full or empty stomach, happy or bitchy ( don't say you are a guy, men are the most bitchiness), overweight or underweight blah blah blah.

If you would like to have something sweet, then eat something sweet. The time, day, month, year, phase of the moon or anything else does not matter. If you don't deny yourself, you won't gorge on things that you aren't "allowed" to eat.

Live because you are alive, don't live so you can live longer.

I'm a big fan of the theory that the best time to eat sweets is always. But I usually find myself craving for them in the afternoon/early evening.

As a diabetic I can tell you that for me the best time is most certainly NOT right after a meal....unless you want me to pass out

Yeah, actually, it does matter.

Regulating unnecessary sugar spikes is pretty important, even for non-diabetics.

And for the record--you burn calories even when you are sleeping.

Snowy, please tell me I'm reading that wrong and you're not saying that eating excessive sugar causes diabetes?

No, that wasn't what I was saying...I was saying that diet is considered to be a contributing factor in insulin resistance/Type II diabetes. There is no scientific evidence that says eating excessive sugar causes Type II diabetes, nor is there a known cause for Type II. One thing we do know is that the majority of people with Type II are obese, and obesity certainly can be caused by eating too many sweets.

What I was trying to get at is that it is just generally a good idea to maintain an even level of blood glucose. Spikes and drops aren't good for anyone. Your brain really doesn't like it, for example. Thus, the timing of eating sweets is a good question to ask.

This is what happens when I try to post while distracted, lol.

I've been tought, something sweet for dessert is a good time. I seldom eat sweets first thing in the morning, that just doesn't feel right, nor the last thing before going to bed.

I don't spend a lot of time thinking about food and when I should or shouldn't be eating.

I am a fan of dessert, even if it's something small. I like a sweet finish to a meal. I don't eat a lot of candies and cookies but will pick up an afternoon chocolate bar from time to time (usually something dark... about 80% coco).

If I could, I would eat cookies and ice cream all the time.

Aaah, a man after my own stomach.

...

I suppose quantity and quality matters. I only drink diet soft drinks (empty sugar calories) and avoid most junk food. I'd avoiding eating sweets before bed, but I don't see a problem with any other time. I eat a handful (or three) of dark chocolate covered raisins with breakfast sometimes.