What are the differences between desserts high in fat and high in sugar?

Dear Sweet Tooth, 

Desserts may be sweet, but making informed choices on which to eat makes them even butter. Fats aren’t necessarily better than sugar, as your body needs both to function.  

When it comes to deciding which treats to eat, understanding your individual health concerns is often a good place to start. Beyond that, check the label to understand the total calories, saturated fats, and sugars (added or artificial) to make the best choice for you. Read on to learn how!   

How does the body get and use energy from food?  

Your body gets energy from what you consume. Calories measure the amount of energy in what you eat and drink. 

There are three macronutrients that supply your body’s energy: carbohydrates (carbs), fats, and protein. Sugars are a type of carbohydrate. All three macronutrients contribute to your body’s functions in many ways. For example, sugars are your body’s main energy source while proteins are used to make muscle, and fats contain essential fatty acids that are important for brain health. Most foods, like desserts, contain a combination of all three macronutrients.  

Each macronutrient has a related calorie amount:  

• Carbs have 4 calories per gram 
• Fats have 9 calories per gram 
• Proteins have 4 calories per gram 

When it comes to picking a dessert, you may not always know its fat or sugar content. However, research demonstrates that overall calorie count may have more of an impact than fat or sugar do individually. If you’re concerned about how these macronutrients affect your weight, you may find it helpful to look at the total calories of the dessert, rather than fat and sugar on their own. If you're deciding between desserts with the same calories, you may want to compare the different types of fats and sugars it has to help make your decision.  

What are the different types of fats? 

Fats can be broken down into three types: trans, saturated, and unsaturated.  

Most trans fats come from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) and are found in processed desserts and fast-food products. In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned trans fats.  

The two other types of fats are saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are produced in the body. They’re also found in meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products usually found in desserts.  

Unsaturated fats are not produced in the body, so they must be consumed in food. They’re mostly found in plant foods and fish.  

What are the different types of sugars? 

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that can also be stored as fat. There are two types of sugars: natural and added. Natural sugars are found in foods like fruits and milk. Added sugars are found in processed foods like desserts and sweetened beverages.  

What are artificial sweeteners and what are their impacts on health?  

Artificial sweeteners are sugar substitutes found in foods and beverages. Unlike natural or added sugars, artificial sweeteners are not carbohydrates. In fact, they contain no macronutrients. Instead, they’re created from chemicals and, as a result, contain little to no calories.  

There are many types of artificial sweeteners. They vary due to their differences in sweetness and whether they are used in food or beverages.  

Some artificial sweeteners include:  

• Aspartame 
• Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol) 
• Saccharin  
• Stevia 
• Sucralose  

Researchers once thought artificial sweeteners were a healthier alternative to sugars, but new research shows things may be more complicated. There is growing evidence of their negative effects on heart health and diabetes risk.  

What are the impacts of fats on health?  

Desserts are more likely to contain saturated fats due to the use of cream, butter, and other dairy products. For a long time, experts believed that eating saturated fats would increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and contribute to cardiovascular disease and mortality. However, there’s some evidence that saturated fats may positively affect cardiovascular health. Ultimately, the effects of saturated fats on health remain to be explored.  

On the other hand, eating unsaturated fats has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  

What are the impacts of added sugars on health? 

Added sugars are most common in desserts. They’ve been linked to health concerns like: 

• Coronary heart disease 
• Diabetes 
• Metabolic disorders 
• Cardiovascular disease 
• Cognitive diseases 
• Tooth decay 
• Cancer 
• Depression  

Eating added sugars is also associated with eating more than your body might need, which may increase the risk of diseases like obesity.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests making added sugar less than ten percent of your total calories each day. For most people, this is about a kid-sized scoop of ice cream or half a slice of cheesecake. People who eat even less added sugar experience improved health outcomes.  

How has the understanding of fats and sugars changed over time?  

Food trends and diet culture can shape how people incorporate fats and sugars into what they eat every day. It used to be popular to have low-fat and low-sugar versions of foods ranging from cake to salad dressing. Now, people are adding protein to everything, including desserts!  

Your individual health goals are also important. People with diabetes or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may prefer desserts high in fat and low in sugar. Other people, like athletes, might prefer a sweet dessert to a fattier one because of the extra energy in carbs they get. Ultimately, you know your health, preferences, and goals best.  

Here’s to having your cake and the knowledge to eat it too,