Benefit
Ms. Vinita Bagul, Head of Sports Science Department, ISST Institute of Sports Science and Technology, Pune (India) - said that eating desserts, especially sweets right after exercise can help quickly restore the energy (glycogen) that your muscles used during exercise.
Eating sweets also helps you feel comfortable and restore energy quickly, reducing fatigue after a hard workout.
“This is helpful for recovery, but you need to understand that dessert doesn't provide everything your body needs after a workout,” emphasizes Vinita Bagul.
Disadvantages of eating sweets after exercise
Sharing the same view, Vijay Kumar, a fitness and health coach in Bengaluru (India), added that although carbohydrate-rich desserts help restore glycogen, they often lack essential nutrients such as protein or fiber, which are important for muscle recovery.
Eating sugary desserts can also cause a spike in blood sugar, which can then lead to a drop in blood sugar, which can lead to fatigue or increased cravings later in the day.
This counteracts some of the benefits of the previous workout by causing over-consumption of calories.
According to fitness and health coach Vijay Kumar: "Eating sugary desserts right after a workout can also lead to indigestion, as intense exercise can temporarily slow down digestion, making it harder for the body to process heavier foods."
Meanwhile, Ms. Vinita Bagul assessed that the main disadvantage of post-workout desserts is that they are often high in sugar and fat.
Sugar can spike insulin, which helps restore energy, but without enough protein, your muscles won't be able to recover.
The fat content in desserts also slows down digestion, slowing nutrient absorption during the crucial recovery period after exercise.
“For people looking to lose fat or stabilize long-term energy, a balanced post-workout snack with lean protein and complex carbohydrates is a much better choice,” says Bagul.
Post-workout eaters should combine fruit with protein-rich snacks for health benefits.
