Why eat dessert?
vsauder729
Posts: 4 Member
Or, more incisively, why eat sugary candies and desserts when there are healthier sweet treats, like fruit or yogurt? Traditionally, in places like Japan, dessert was for special occasions, or limited to some fruit. This means it isn't unnatural for a society to eat little to no sweets. There isn't any nutritional value in cakes, donuts, candies, etc., but there is in fruit, which tastes just as good, in my opinion. This means eating little to no dessert would effect our health in a neutral or positive way.
Which leads into the one main reason why I still currently eat desserts: social reasons. Almost everyone eats sweets, and they're much more heavily marketed than produce. But, why conform? Conformity may be instinctual, but that doesn't make it advantageous. Besides, vegetarians and vegans choose not to eat something that does, arguably, have nutritional value. So, choosing not to eat a nutritionally devoid food seems to make just as much, if not possibly more sense, from a health standpoint.
The other reason why people eat sweets is just because it tastes good and they've habitually eaten them for as long as they can remember. So it seems to come down to a choice between habit and temporary, superficial pleasure, and long-term health benefits and a different lifestyle. The latter seems more important to me, unless sweets bring someone genuine, lasting joy (which I totally respect!)
So, should I/you/we eat dessert? Under what conditions? Why? I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have, especially something from the opposing viewpoint. Please be respectful. Thanks so much!
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a mini essay or a rant. Oops. Sorry, I've spent a lot of time pondering this!
Which leads into the one main reason why I still currently eat desserts: social reasons. Almost everyone eats sweets, and they're much more heavily marketed than produce. But, why conform? Conformity may be instinctual, but that doesn't make it advantageous. Besides, vegetarians and vegans choose not to eat something that does, arguably, have nutritional value. So, choosing not to eat a nutritionally devoid food seems to make just as much, if not possibly more sense, from a health standpoint.
The other reason why people eat sweets is just because it tastes good and they've habitually eaten them for as long as they can remember. So it seems to come down to a choice between habit and temporary, superficial pleasure, and long-term health benefits and a different lifestyle. The latter seems more important to me, unless sweets bring someone genuine, lasting joy (which I totally respect!)
So, should I/you/we eat dessert? Under what conditions? Why? I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have, especially something from the opposing viewpoint. Please be respectful. Thanks so much!
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a mini essay or a rant. Oops. Sorry, I've spent a lot of time pondering this!
1
Replies
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Why?
Taste.
Because i want to.
etc.22 -
When I eat dessert it's because whatever it is tastes good to me. I have full confidence that a slice of cake or pie every now and then is not going to affect my long term health in a negative way.
I don't eat fruit and yogurt as dessert. I eat those things for regular meals.5 -
Nothing wrong with eating sweets, whether socially or by habit and long as you don't over eat them.
Personally, I don't care for sweets. I never eat birthday cake or wedding cake or whatever the event is simply due to my tastes. Eating something just because others traditionally eat it means nothing to me. I only pay attention to myself. Don't care what other people eat. Then again, my personal motto from a very young age was "never conform".5 -
Nothing wrong with eating sweets, whether socially or by habit and long as you don't over eat them.
Personally, I don't care for sweets. I never eat birthday cake or wedding cake or whatever the event is simply due to my tastes. Eating something just because others traditionally eat it means nothing to me. I only pay attention to myself. Don't care what other people eat. Then again, my personal motto from a very young age was "never conform".
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Hahaha! Sorry - it's just my taste buds! My daily sodium intake is atrocious, however, and I seriously need to work on that.2
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rainbowbow wrote: »Why?
Taste.
Because i want to.
etc.
Same. To me, fruit isn't dessert. Delicious, yes, but I prefer it with a meal or as a snack. But I budget some calories in my day for a bit of chocolate or ice cream. If I were to cut it out, I'd end up bingeing on something.4 -
dis gon b gud14 -
Nothing wrong with eating sweets, whether socially or by habit and long as you don't over eat them.
Personally, I don't care for sweets. I never eat birthday cake or wedding cake or whatever the event is simply due to my tastes. Eating something just because others traditionally eat it means nothing to me. I only pay attention to myself. Don't care what other people eat. Then again, my personal motto from a very young age was "never conform".
I am the same. I would rather something savory over sweets.5 -
There is no way I could eat fruit after a meal. The gas and discomfort would kill me. But cake or ice cream... Any time of the day is ok for that.3
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Well I am biased because I am a baker and I enjoy baking desserts because you are able to incorporate different flavors and textures into one bite. Desserts aren't just sugar-many other components go into them and often components you are eating somewhere else in your diet, so why not eat them if they are in combination?
I made a cake that was 100% paleo for a bride 2 weeks ago. Sure it was high sugar, but the sugar was from honey and fruit.
Also I don't believe fruit and yogurt are as good or satisfying as sweets. A lot of yogurts have a bunch of added sugar in them anyway and if it isn't as satisfying why would I bother?
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »Nothing wrong with eating sweets, whether socially or by habit and long as you don't over eat them.
Personally, I don't care for sweets. I never eat birthday cake or wedding cake or whatever the event is simply due to my tastes. Eating something just because others traditionally eat it means nothing to me. I only pay attention to myself. Don't care what other people eat. Then again, my personal motto from a very young age was "never conform".
I am the same. I would rather something savory over sweets.
same, I'm all about a nice salad followed by a dessert T-bone2 -
rainbowbow wrote: »Why?
Taste.
Because i want to.
etc.
Same. To me, fruit isn't dessert. Delicious, yes, but I prefer it with a meal or as a snack. But I budget some calories in my day for a bit of chocolate or ice cream. If I were to cut it out, I'd end up bingeing on something.
+1 to both of these. For me, I prefer dessert as an ending to a meal. When I eat fruit last or it's the only thing I eat as a snack, I end up hungrier (similar to what plenty of people feel with "junk" foods aka "traditional" desserts). I plan desserts into my calories.
OP, you don't want to eat a "traditional" dessert, don't eat one. All I ask is you don't poop on me for eating a mini Baby Ruth.2 -
Maybe it's a French thing. I always had dessert when I grew up. Heck if you eat out in France they give you a square of chocolate with your coffee. When my family visits, they ALWAYS ask for something sweet after dinner. Often it was yogurt or pudding (so many kinds of puddings there. Gosh I miss it). But servings are smaller. In restaurants, desserts will be 300-400 calories tops... not those 1200 calories monstrosities that you find here.
If you ask me, in the US there is much less of a dessert culture than in France though! Lots of restaurants don't have dessert (in France even Asian restaurants do, here, not so much), it's almost never on their online menus (which irks me, actually), and more often than not when eating out with people, they don't order dessert (which totally baffles me, as it's the best part of the meal).
I totally agree that without dessert I would probably have been at my goal weight for a year, but what can you do... I'm a foodie. I get great pleasure from good food. A good meal will make my day better, and a bad meal will make my day worse. It is what it is... and I have a sweet tooth and, given the choice, would always pick something sweet versus something savory, so dessert makes me happy (unless it's not great dessert, then it makes me sad).
I guess in the end it comes down to taste though, I just can't for the life of me think of any French person who didn't love desserts.
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Because I want to and I'm and adult who thinks for them self? Amazing!8
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rainbowbow wrote: »Why?
Taste.
Because i want to.
etc.
Same. To me, fruit isn't dessert. Delicious, yes, but I prefer it with a meal or as a snack. But I budget some calories in my day for a bit of chocolate or ice cream. If I were to cut it out, I'd end up bingeing on something.
This exactly. Having a small sweet treat after dinner keeps me from freaking out and eating ALL THE FOODZ in the long run. I plan and budget my calories to allow around 300 calories of 'dessert' a day.2 -
Maybe it's a French thing. I always had dessert when I grew up. Heck if you eat out in France they give you a square of chocolate with your coffee. When my family visits, they ALWAYS ask for something sweet after dinner. Often it was yogurt or pudding (so many kinds of puddings there. Gosh I miss it). But servings are smaller. In restaurants, desserts will be 300-400 calories tops... not those 1200 calories monstrosities that you find here.
If you ask me, in the US there is much less of a dessert culture than in France though! Lots of restaurants don't have dessert (in France even Asian restaurants do, here, not so much), it's almost never on their online menus (which irks me, actually), and more often than not when eating out with people, they don't order dessert (which totally baffles me, as it's the best part of the meal).
I totally agree that without dessert I would probably have been at my goal weight for a year, but what can you do... I'm a foodie. I get great pleasure from good food. A good meal will make my day better, and a bad meal will make my day worse. It is what it is... and I have a sweet tooth and, given the choice, would always pick something sweet versus something savory, so dessert makes me happy (unless it's not great dessert, then it makes me sad).
I guess in the end it comes down to taste though, I just can't for the life of me think of any French person who didn't love desserts.
Your post made me think of the brownie sundae from Kona Grill that I had for dinner Saturday night (for dinner. Yep.). It could have easily served four people. I ate it as my meal, shared some with my friend and still couldn't finish it. It was freaking delicious, though!
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Respectfully I would take a different view on just about all your points, sorry!
Japan has a particular culture and cuisine but there's also cultures where dessert and treats tend to be very sweet - India for example.
I wouldn't say dessert is nutritionally "devoid" just because it's sweet - different macros/micros but not devoid. If you log the cakes and donuts you will see protein, fat and carbs.
Having said that I rarely eat sweet desserts, purely because I tend to prefer savoury to sweet - maybe that's my personal non-conformity? My two favourite courses in a restaurant will always be starter and main course. At home dessert of any kind is a rarity, more likely as part of a social meal or special event.
One of my favourite desserts is a really good fruit salad but there's also times a great homemade apple crumble and custard hits the pleasure spot. Ditto ice cream or a good cheesecake. I don't see pleasure as being fleeting and superficial, I enjoy all the varied food I eat, possibly with the exception of "race fuel" when I'm cycling long distance.
As regards health I look as my diet as a whole not a collection of individual components that all have to be perfect.2 -
If you're getting a nutrient-dense diet and not sacrificing nutrition or going over on calories regularly to enjoy dessert, why not? Is there a point to having fruit or yogurt as dessert if you've already hit your nutrition requirements? You don't get bonus points for consuming 200% of your daily vitamin C or getting 155g of protein when 140g is your target.
Chocolate makes me happy, and it goes better than an orange does with a glass of red wine. I'll take the chocolate.5 -
'Traditionally' is such a loaded word but I have never eaten as much sugar in my life as the fortnight I spent in Japan. Yes I ate local, Yes I travelled with a resident, but by god they don't have any sort of unsweetened drink. Their 'bitter' coffee has a 2/5 sugar scale, and just everything is so much sweeter than in the UK.
I don't really like fruit, only berries, and most yoghurt makes me gag. I eat pudding (as I'm English) occasionally and enjoy it. The people around you make life worth living and it's great fun to share something special with them. Sugar is sugar, if it comes from a bee, an apple, or chocolate. But that's just what I think.0 -
vsauder729 wrote: »So, should I/you/we eat dessert? Under what conditions? Why? I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have, especially something from the opposing viewpoint. Please be respectful. Thanks so much!
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a mini essay or a rant. Oops. Sorry, I've spent a lot of time pondering this!
I didn't grow up eating dessert every day. I still don't eat it every day. I don't have a massive sweet tooth. I have never felt I had to eat dessert to fit in. If I want cake or pie I eat it though. If I want plain fruit I eat that but I don't consider plain fruit a dessert.
For weight loss- if you want it make it fit your calorie goal.
For nutrition- Use the bulk of your calories for nutritious foods. Then eat your dessert. You'll be okay.
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Nothing wrong with eating sweets, whether socially or by habit and long as you don't over eat them.
Personally, I don't care for sweets. I never eat birthday cake or wedding cake or whatever the event is simply due to my tastes. Eating something just because others traditionally eat it means nothing to me. I only pay attention to myself. Don't care what other people eat. Then again, my personal motto from a very young age was "never conform".
Same. Always have, even skipped my own birthday cake every year since I was 5 and realized I could - didn't eat my wedding cake, etc.
Give me a plate of chicken wings and I'm all about it
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It allows me to workout harder-longer- I love Calories!!3
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vsauder729 wrote: »Or, more incisively, why eat sugary candies and desserts when there are healthier sweet treats, like fruit or yogurt? Traditionally, in places like Japan, dessert was for special occasions, or limited to some fruit. This means it isn't unnatural for a society to eat little to no sweets. There isn't any nutritional value in cakes, donuts, candies, etc., but there is in fruit, which tastes just as good, in my opinion. This means eating little to no dessert would effect our health in a neutral or positive way.
Which leads into the one main reason why I still currently eat desserts: social reasons. Almost everyone eats sweets, and they're much more heavily marketed than produce. But, why conform? Conformity may be instinctual, but that doesn't make it advantageous. Besides, vegetarians and vegans choose not to eat something that does, arguably, have nutritional value. So, choosing not to eat a nutritionally devoid food seems to make just as much, if not possibly more sense, from a health standpoint.
The other reason why people eat sweets is just because it tastes good and they've habitually eaten them for as long as they can remember. So it seems to come down to a choice between habit and temporary, superficial pleasure, and long-term health benefits and a different lifestyle. The latter seems more important to me, unless sweets bring someone genuine, lasting joy (which I totally respect!)
So, should I/you/we eat dessert? Under what conditions? Why? I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have, especially something from the opposing viewpoint. Please be respectful. Thanks so much!
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a mini essay or a rant. Oops. Sorry, I've spent a lot of time pondering this!
Thank you. I will not conform to traditional Japanese culture.10 -
vsauder729 wrote: »So, should I/you/we eat dessert? Under what conditions? Why? I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have, especially something from the opposing viewpoint. Please be respectful. Thanks so much!
Should you eat dessert? I don't feel qualified to answer that.
Should we eat dessert? I don't feel qualified to answer for everyone.
Should I eat dessert? Hmm, I don't know that I'd say I should eat it, but I don't see any reason why I shouldn't eat it either. I've been eating it all my life without any health problems.
I don't really consider candy a dessert though. Candy is just sweet treat. When I think dessert I think cake or pie or cobbler or something like that. And it often does contain fruit (and sugar, of course).3 -
because they fit into my calorie and macro goal for the day, and they taste good..
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You assume that humans are 100% rational beings. Newsflash: We're not.4
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My nutritional profile is pretty outstanding...having a little desert doesn't undo that; I have a little desert most nights...usually some dark chocolate but like last night, my wife made some chocolate chip cookies...they were delicious and IMO, pretty much neutral to my diet as a whole.3
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I choose to eat dessert because I eat all the foodz that I like.3
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Sorry, but why worry about what motivation other people have for doing or not doing something, or in your case, eating or not eating something? It's none of my business why you or anyone else decides they want to include or exclude something from their diet.
Sometimes I go through phases where I'll eat a cookie every night, or have some ice cream, or even a nightly beer, and then I'll go through phases where I won't touch sweets or alcohol. My choice.
One of my favorite new quotes: Don't worry about what I'm doing, worry about why you're worried about what I'm doing. Sorry, these threads that just randomly try to get into the minds of the masses grate on me. It's like the folks that eat sweets are being looked down on or that they are being painted as making bad choices. Who am I to judge? It's no one's business why someone pounds a box of Mallomars. Live and let live.
Rant over. God Bless. Carry on.3 -
OP I think you are asking a few different questions.
Why eat dessert?
1. Because it tastes good
2. Because it fits within my calorie goals
3. Because there is nothing inherently unhealthy about eating a cookie, a piece of cake, or a serving of ice cream.
Why not eat something healthier?
1. If I am already eating a diet that has a good macro and micronutrient balance, I don't get extra credit for eating a banana instead of ice cream.
2. People make decisions all day long. How to prioritize our time, what food to eat, how to spend our money, etc. There are always "better" decisions, but personally, I don't strive for perfection every minute of the day. If I spend 9 hours of my day in the office, 6 hours sleeping, 2 hours on household things (feeding the family, laundry, cleaning, etc), an hour of my day commuting, an hour working out, an hour eating meals, and an hour getting ready in the morning, that leaves about 3 hours in the day. I might choose to snuggle on the couch with my kids and watch American Ninja Warrior for 2 of those hours, another hour with my husband watching whatever Netflix show we are binge watching right now. Is that the "best" use of my time? Probably not. Could I work out more? Work more? Go volunteer? Clean more? Of course. There is always a "better" choice, just like with your dessert analogy. But sometimes we make choices for personal pleasure, or because they are "good enough".
"Should" you eat dessert? I don't know. Should is kind of a strong word. If people like dessert, and it fits within their calorie goals, and they want it at that point in time, then there is no reason why they "SHOULDN'T" eat it, in my opinion.6
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