Why Having Dessert Every Day Isn’t a Big Deal (and Is Even Healthy IMO)

May 27, 2024

Sweet Treats without the Guilt: 5 Reasons Dessert After Dinner is A-Okay! pic

Hey There, I'm Ryann Nicole.

I’m a recovered binge eater who changed the story from something that happened to me to something that happened for me. Now, I’m a licensed therapist teaching you to do the same.

My mission? To help you ditch food stress and live your life with mental peace and freedom every single day!

Let’s dive into why having dessert every day isn’t just not a big deal—it could actually be a healthy choice. Yes, I said it. Dessert. Every. Day. Hear me out.

Stop Acting Like Dessert is the Villain

I can practically hear the diet culture warriors sprinting toward this blog, wielding their “sugar is evil” banners, ready to battle me with their detox plans and guilt trips. Yep, they’re coming in hot, but let’s be real—those fearmongering voices are the same ones that got us stuck in this endless restrict-binge cycle in the first place. So, let’s just say it: dessert isn’t the enemy here.

Somewhere along the way, we got this idea that if we eat something sweet, we’re failing. Like it’s some huge moral flaw. But seriously—where did this even come from? Think about it. For years, we’ve been bombarded with messages about “good” and “bad” foods. Diet culture has basically been yelling at us that sugar is the enemy, and if we dare to eat dessert, we’re somehow less disciplined or have no self-control.

It’s everywhere—magazines, social media, fitness influencers preaching about clean eating, detoxes, and how you have to “earn” your treats. Ever seen those memes about “sweating for the wedding” or “cheat days” as if enjoying food is something you should feel guilty about?

And don’t even get me started on the labels we put on ourselves: “I was bad today because I ate ice cream.” Bad? No. You’re not bad because you had ice cream. You’re human. But somehow we’ve internalized this belief that food has a moral value and that eating certain foods makes us “good” or “bad.” Honestly, it’s no wonder dessert feels like such a big deal. We’ve been conditioned to think of it that way.

What if Dessert Could Actually Help Your Relationship with Food?

But what if I told you that having dessert, and enjoying it, can actually help you have a better relationship with food? I mean, imagine a world where you didn’t obsess over dessert or feel guilty every time you had it. Wild, right? Turns out, it’s not that wild. There’s actually research that backs this up.

The Forbidden Fruit Effect

Studies1 show that restricting certain foods, especially things we label as “bad” or “off-limits” like dessert, can lead to something called the forbidden fruit effect. The more we tell ourselves we can’t have it, the more we want it. This has been linked to binge eating behaviors because when we finally cave, we go overboard, feeling like we have to “make the most of it” since it’s not allowed.

One study published in Appetite2 found that individuals who were told to restrict certain foods were more likely to crave them and eat more of them when given the chance. In contrast, those who allowed themselves permission to eat these foods in moderation had less intense cravings and were more likely to eat them mindfully.

Another study from the Journal of Eating Behaviors3 highlighted how embracing a more flexible approach to eating—one that includes dessert without guilt—can improve overall eating habits. People who adopted a mindset of balance and enjoyment were less likely to engage in emotional eating or binge cycles because they didn’t feel deprived. Essentially, giving yourself permission to enjoy food takes away the urgency and intensity, making it easier to stay in tune with your body’s needs.

Restriction Gives Dessert Too Much Power

When we restrict things like dessert, we give it so much power. It becomes this big, bad, off-limits thing, and then what happens? We crave it even more. And then, when we finally “give in,” we go way overboard because we’re thinking, “Well, I already blew it, might as well go all in!” Cue the binge. Then cue the guilt. And the cycle repeats.

This is a cycle that Intuitive Eating talks about a lot. In the book, Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole say, “The more you deny yourself a particular food, the more you’re going to want it. When you finally give in to the ‘forbidden food,’ it is common to overeat, which only reinforces the guilt associated with eating the food in the first place.”4 So, it’s not just you—this is actually how our brains are wired. The restriction makes us obsess, and the obsession makes us binge.

Another key point from Intuitive Eating is when they explain, “Making peace with food is about giving yourself unconditional permission to eat. When you tell yourself you can have a certain food whenever you want, the urgency to overeat decreases dramatically.” Think about that. The minute we take food off the “forbidden” list, it loses its control over us. It becomes just… food.

What if Dessert Wasn’t Off-Limits?

But what if dessert wasn’t off-limits? What if it was just… there? Like any other food. You have it when you want it. You enjoy it. And you move on with your life. No guilt. No drama. Just you and a little sweetness at the end of your day.

At this point, I can already hear the objections: “Ryann, that would never happen! I’d eat it all day, every day, and never stop. If I let myself have dessert whenever, I’d totally lose control!”

Why You Won’t Lose Control

Okay, let’s talk about that. First off, I get it—when you’ve spent so much time in a restrict-binge cycle, the idea of unconditional permission feels terrifying. You probably do feel like you’d lose control because that’s what you’ve experienced in the past. But here’s the thing: that loss of control? That’s because of the restriction. It’s not because dessert has some magical power over you; it’s because you’ve been putting it on a pedestal.

When you give yourself permission to have dessert, something magical happens: you start trusting yourself around food. You realize that, yeah, you can have it whenever. And after a while, that urgency to overeat goes away. You start to notice when you actually want dessert and when you don’t. It stops being this rebellious act of “I’m going to eat ALL the cookies because I’m not supposed to,” and starts being, “Yeah, I feel like having a cookie today. Cool.”

Trust Yourself Around Dessert

And the more you trust yourself around food, the more you can relax and actually enjoy it. You’re not thinking about the next time you’re “allowed” to eat it because you know you can have it whenever. That’s how you get your power back. The power was never in the dessert—it’s in you.

The thing is, when we normalize dessert, we take it off the pedestal. It becomes less about this is bad and I shouldn’t and more about I’m a grown adult who gets to decide what I want. When you know you can have it whenever, it’s not this urgent, all-consuming thing anymore.

Dessert Can Be Part of a Balanced Life

And honestly? Dessert can be part of a balanced life. We talk a lot about balance, but somehow that only applies to salads and workouts? Why can’t it apply to the fun foods too? Having something sweet doesn’t cancel out your day. It doesn’t erase all the “good” choices you made. It’s just food. A cookie, a piece of chocolate, whatever—it’s not going to make or break anything.

Yes, Dessert Every Day Can Be Healthy

I’ll even go as far as to say having dessert every day can be healthy. WHAT?! I know. When you give yourself permission to enjoy food—including dessert—it reduces that urge to binge. It reduces those intense cravings because you’re not operating from a scarcity mindset anymore. You don’t feel like you have to eat ALL the sweets because you know there will be more tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.

Dessert Can Be Self-Care

We can also look at dessert as a way to connect with our bodies. Yes, dessert can be nourishing in a different way than, say, a bowl of veggies. Sometimes your soul needs the comfort of something sweet. Sometimes dessert is self-care. And when you can have it mindfully—without guilt, shame, or that nagging voice saying you shouldn’t—you’re actually creating a healthier relationship with food overall.

The Bottom Line: Dessert Is Just Food

So, to everyone who feels like having dessert means they’ve failed or that they need to “make up for it” the next day—let’s reframe that. Dessert is just food. Enjoy it. Let it be part of your day. When you stop demonizing it, it loses its power, and suddenly, it’s just not a big deal anymore.

And that? That’s freedom.

Remember my mantra: I don’t need to make this mean so much. Dessert is just dessert. It doesn’t define you, your day, or your worth. The less we make it mean, the more space we have for the things that actually matter.

  1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-021-00452-y ↩︎
  2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-017-0243-1 ↩︎
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/eating-behaviors ↩︎
  4. https://amzn.to/3NkxmYl ↩︎

check out the pod

Ways I Can Support You

01 Coaching

Intimate group coaching to break free from binge eating

02 podcast

Real talk on food, mindset shifts, motherhood, and finding peace.

03 support group

A safe space to connect with others on the same journey.

04 free coaching

Have real conversations and hear others share their struggles.

Ryann Nicole

Licensed Therapist, Certified Nutritionist, and Virtual Wellness Coach

Ryann is a licensed therapist and virtual wellness coach who has assisted individuals worldwide in establishing a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.

Are You Ready to Heal Your Relationship With Food? 

I understand—it can be overwhelming to figure out where to begin. Let's simplify things and have you start right here:

Why Am I Overeating?

First Steps To Stop Binge Eating 

The Ryann Nicole
Podcast

FREE QUIZ

FREE GUIDE

Podcast

the food freedom lab podcast

Ryann is a licensed therapist and virtual wellness coach who has assisted individuals worldwide in establishing a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.