Go easy on those sugary treats | Bangkok Post: food

SMARTCHOICE

Many of us adore spoiling our loved ones with sweet things on St Valentine's Day, but it can often be hard to decide which type of confectionary _ chocolate, cakes, candy, fancy biscuits, ice cream, etc _ is best to indulge in and when to call a halt.

"We all like sweet things because they tend to make us feel happier," said Sujit Saleepun, a senior technical nutritionist at the Ministry of Public Health's Bureau of Nutrition. "But no one seems to know when they've had enough! Eating too many sweets can make you feel tired because of the way they increase the pace of your body's metabolism." She went on to explain that a large intake of sugary food causes our pancreas to release large amounts of insulin in order to quickly lower our blood sugar levels. This sudden decrease as the level plummets is what makes us feel fatigued.

According to Sujit, chocolate _ one of the most popular St Valentine's Day treats _ is all right as long as we can limit our intake to three morsels a day. The energy supplied by food is measured in kilocalories (kcal). An individual heart-shaped chocolate from a popular brand contains about 60kcal, so three of them would give 180kcal. But if you can't stop at just three and go on to devour the whole bag, you'd be well advised to compensate by eating less of something else, Sujit says, in order to prevent a jump in your total calorie intake for that day. A small bar of milk chocolate weighing 100g supplies about 520kcal of energy. If you get through half of this in one day, then you have consumed 260kcal, which puts you over Sujit's daily recommended limit of 180 and means that you need to make a saving of 80kcal elsewhere in your diet.

According to food-based dietary guidelines for Thai people, male adults need about 2,000kcal a day while females can make do with 1,600. People who are performing tasks that expend a lot of energy will, of course, need to increase their calorie intake.

Because chocolate is high in both calories and fat, many people choose to skip it for fear of putting on weight. But it's not as bad as you might think, Sujit said; in fact, along with the undeniable pleasure it gives us, chocolate also offers a few health benefits.

"Chocolate is made from a plant that contains phytochemicals which have many health benefits. And chocolate also stimulates the production of endorphins, which makes us happy. But for heart benefits, go for dark chocolate," she advised.

Chocolate contains a host of chemical compounds and in order to derive the maximum enjoyment from it Sujit recommends that you take the time to savour every single morsel.

"Allow it to slowly melt in your mouth so that you can feel the texture and appreciate the flavour. Don't take big bites."

Cookies are also a common gift on this special day. Calorie count depends on the ingredients and, naturally, on the size of the serving. According to Sujit, two oatmeal biscuits (each about 4cm in diameter) contain about 150kcal. Biscuits containing butter have a higher calorie count _about 210kcal for two, while the same serving of chocolate-chip cookies gives in the region of 235kcal.

"A couple of cookies [4cm diameter] a day should satisfy the craving for something sweet and keep people satisfied," Sujit reckons. "Oatmeal cookies are a good choice because they contain fibre in addition to flavouring, milk, butter and sugar."

But be careful, she warned, when digging into so-called Singapore cookies. These contain cashew nuts and while diminutive in size can deliver a lot of calories. Two of them can add up to as much as 190kcal.

For people who are dieting but can't resist cakes, the nutritionist recommends choosing ones made with butter rather than those containing dried fruit or chocolate.

"It's quite hard to give an average calorie count for cakes made in Thailand because bakeries sell so many different sizes." she said. "But if the size of the servings are equal, then a slice of butter cake would be the lightest in terms of calories."

For those whose favourite Valentine's Day treat is ice cream, Sujit recommends going for varieties flavoured with strawberries, not just for the attractive colour but because of the reasonable calorie count of 110kcal per scoop, compared with 140 for vanilla and 246 for raisin.

"But remember that ice cream is often served with maraschino cherries, fudge sauce or flaked almonds _ all of which will increase your calorie intake."Also be aware that consuming a large quantity of sweet things can cause constipation, since confectionary is typically very low in fibre. To ease bowel movements, Sujit said it may be necessary to drink more water and ensure that you exercise on a regular basis.

"It's best to stick to healthy eating habits and practise a little self-discipline, not just on special occasions!"