We always hear that sugar is bad for our health. However, consuming good sugars at the right time is not harmful.
Sugar is often demonized. But there are “good sugars” and “bad sugars”. Above all, there are times that are “less bad” than others to eat it… “If you consume sugar at the end of a meal for example, it considerably hinders the assimilation of nutrients contained in the different foods. If you consume it before the meal, there is no influence on the metabolism but you will have a feeling of satiety and a sated appetite. This is just a feeling: sugar, consumed at that time, has no nutritional interest” insists Dr. Alain Delabos, nutritionist and founder of Chrononutrition®, whom we interviewed.
For this specialist “It is not a question of the best time to eat sweet foods but rather a question of not harming the body.“And to do this, you have to look at the evolution of cortisol during the day.”In the body, everything is managed by the cortisol cycle, which we define as the mastermind of nutrition.” It is therefore necessary to avoid eating sugar when the cortisol curve is at its highest, i.e. in the morning (especially between 6 and 8 am), which otherwise leads to an over-secretion of the hormone, which can be harmful to our body and our mood. This is why we should avoid sugary breakfasts. “Sweet breakfasts were invented by manufacturers, but now you understand why consuming sugar when you wake up, especially processed sugary products, is harmful to your health, including that of our children.” insists the specialist.
The cortisol curve then decreases at lunchtime, until reaching a small curve at the end of the day”This is when I place the fruits and sweet products” explains Dr. Delabos. “The best time to eat sugar is therefore some time before the last meal, lunch, and at least two hours before the evening meal.” he informs. But be careful, even when consumed at the right time, excessive sugar intake can have harmful consequences for your health because when you eat sugary products, the sugar is quickly assimilated by your body and causes a spike in blood sugar. This excess sugar turns into fat and you gain weight and volume. You must therefore choose your sugars carefully and remain moderate in the quantities.
Better sugars than others? Fruit sugar (called fructose) is not the best sugar but they contain excellent nutrients for health, such as vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber or antioxidants. For these reasons, fruits remain good and can be eaten for example at snack time. According to our specialist doctor, the best sugar is glucose, and for example honey which contains anti-infectious components as well as an excellent nutritional composition. Natural honey is therefore part of the healthy sugars as well as brown sugar, maple syrup and agave syrup. They are less caloric than processed sugars and some provide nutrients such as magnesium, minerals, iron or
vitamins..
When evening comes, we stop eating sugar. Firstly, to have a comfortable dinner. Then because eating sugary foods in the evening thwarts the synthesis of melatonin and serotonin, two hormones that promote quality sleep. Finally, consuming sugar before bedtime leads to storage in the hips and thighs.