Suppressing the urge for sweets all the time isn’t good for you. You should treat yourself occasionally, but there are ways and ways to enjoy that slice of cake you love so much so that the impact on your body isn’t quite so negative.

To start with, the time of day is key. It isn’t the same to have a slice of chocolate cake for breakfast as for afternoon tea. In the early hours, your body is much more insulin-sensitive and if you eat something sweet first thing in the day, glucose levels spike and it will be much harder to control blood sugar later on. That’s why the ideal is to have your favourite cake in the afternoon.

That said, one should not forget that any food rich in simple carbohydrates—cake, doughnuts, you name it—will spike glucose levels because those sugars rush into the bloodstream at a dizzying speed. And that isn’t good, as glucose falls as quickly as it rises, provoking hunger soon after. Hence, consuming sugars triggers cravings, i.e., an irresistible desire to eat, usually sweet foods.

But there is a way to enjoy that slice of cake you love without riding the rollercoaster of cravings. And it isn’t to take a shot of vinegar, a trick you may already know. Jessie Inchauspé – metabolism expert and the ‘glucose goddess’, as she’s known online – recommends pairing your chocolate cake portion with 150 grams of Greek yoghurt. We explain why.

The effect of yoghurt on glucose spikes

Foods that cause glucose spikes, such as cakes, make you gain weight because the excess glucose that the cells don’t use is stored as fat. But what if you could slow the passage of sugars into the blood while you tuck into your favourite slice of cake? Greek yoghurt can achieve this effect for several reasons: it has a low glycaemic index, it’s rich in protein, and it contains many probiotics.

  • Low glycaemic index: The glycaemic index (GI) is a value used to measure how quickly a food raises blood glucose. Greek yoghurt has a low GI thanks to its fats, which slow the passage of sugars into the bloodstream.
  • Rich in protein: Proteins, like fats, are satiating nutrients because their metabolism is slower, helping to avoid glucose spikes. For this reason, pairing protein with carbohydrates is advisable. As well, proteins stimulate insulin secretion, helping transport sugar into cells.
  • Source of probiotics. Yoghurt is one of the foods richest in probiotics, live bacteria that have beneficial effects on glucose control.

Other foods that curb cravings

Besides Greek yoghurt, there are other foods that slow the passage of sugars into the blood. Knowing what they are is key to pairing foods more healthily in your menus.

  • Meat and fish. They provide protein and healthy fats, nutrients that, as we’ve said, are slower to digest. By staying in the stomach longer, they are more satiating and prevent glucose from rushing into the bloodstream. If you have cake one day, aim to have a salad first (low in calories) and then meat or fish. It’s important to avoid pasta, rice, or bread if you’re going to eat cake afterwards because the glucose spike would shoot up.
  • More fibre. When people talk about how healthy fibre is, the main reason is that it prevents many of the substances damaging to your body from passing into the bloodstream. Fibre hauls those unwanted substances towards the bowels, including excess sugars.

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