Lollipops – these sweets have been known to man for a very long time. Much more than chocolate or waffle. It is believed that the history of lollipops began at a time when people got acquainted with sugar. And this is the era before our era.

Sweets lollipops have been “rediscovered” and “reinvented” many times. In ancient Rome, pieces of boiled and hardened sugar were eaten as a pleasure for the patrician, the European nobility in the Middle Ages enjoyed similar sweets. Yes, and in Russia, lollipops have been known for more than five centuries ago.

This is understandable: the recipe for making lollipops is extremely simple. Ordinary sugar syrup or molasses is mixed with a large amount of sugar and boiled until a sufficiently thick and dense composition is obtained. Then they let it harden, placing it in special forms. Often – by sticking a stick from the right side, which will be comfortable to hold on to when eating sweets. And almost always – by adding various syrups or artificial flavors to the lollipops.

We hear a lot about the harm of candy. Like, and they spoil the teeth, and increase blood sugar, and even lead to obesity. But is the devil as scary as he is drawn? What is included in the lollipops and how should this famous sweet be treated?

What is the harm of lollipops?
Like any product, lollipops have their drawbacks. The most important of them is a large amount of sugar. With the almost complete absence of other fillers in the composition.

1. Sugar.

Because of the sugar in the composition, the harm to the teeth of lollipops is an obvious thing. Especially for children and the elderly. In the former, the tooth enamel has not yet fully formed, while in the latter it has already become very thin and has begun to collapse. The reason for this effect is sugar residues between the teeth and in the cavities between the surface of the teeth and gums. These leftovers are happily consumed by bacteria, which then release acids and other metabolic products that destroy teeth.

The same sugar can adversely affect various metabolic processes. In the same children, this can be expressed in allergic reactions and skin itching, in adolescents – in profuse acne, and in adults – in problems with the skin, hair, and in especially difficult cases – in the development of diabetes mellitus.

And the sugars themselves, which are part of the lollipops, and the metabolic disorders caused by them can cause obesity. It is clear that for the development of such a disease, some lollipops will be few. But their composition will also contribute.

2. Additives.

And modern lollipops can also boast of a large number of concentrates and synthetic additives contained in their composition. They are especially characteristic of Montpensier sweets, which were originally prepared using fruit syrups, and now they are a mixture of sugar with dyes and flavors. Some of these food additives are harmless, while the content of others in the composition of sweets, on the contrary, can pose a threat to health.

But all these shortcomings have a main feature – they appear only with excessive use of lollipops. Indeed, you need to eat many kilograms of candies in order to get very fat. You need to indulge regularly and in large quantities with sucking sticks to destroy your teeth. And at the same time, when used occasionally and a little bit, these same sucking candies can be very useful.

Healthy lollipops
For example, sweets lollipops are great to cheer up. It is the simple sugars in sweets that cause the body to produce and release into the blood a large amount of serotonin, a hormone that gives us joy. Because of this, after eating a lollipop, our mood improves.

Sugars themselves are a rich source of energy. And although the composition of one candy is not enough to charge us with strength for a five-kilometer marathon, this candy can also increase brain activity and help in the exam. And, by the way, thanks to the pronounced taste, lollipops briefly freshen your breath.

And with real fruit syrups in the composition, these sweets bring some components of fruit juices into our body. In small quantities, of course, but still.

By the way, there are also unsweetened candies on a stick. For example, in Europe, licorice flavored lozenges are very popular. And in the tropics, in the composition of lollipops, like chewing gum in a lollipop, they put – Oh, horror! – larvae of tropical beetles. Everyone has their own delicacies. And such lollipops turn out to be less sweet and, accordingly, more useful.

Lozenges for weight loss
There is also a common belief that lollipops – the simplest, without frills – contribute to weight loss and weight loss. Proponents of such views justify this idea by saying that a few candies are enough to dull the feeling of hunger and save the person sitting on eater’s diet from a hearty meal. And at the same time provide him with the strength for everyday work.

It is difficult to substantiate this point of view. Yes, and to refute the fact that there are lollipops for weight loss is not easy. After all, there is some truth here. In addition, serious studies on this topic have not been conducted and there are no concrete results. Most doctors and nutritionists believe that in this case, the placebo effect is triggered – dummy pills, using which the patient allows himself to recover only by believing in healing. And with weight loss, everything is even simpler – if a person has convinced himself that he does not want to eat, then he will not have an appetite.

Ultimately, lollipops are good just the way they were meant to be: a little sweet treat once a week at the fair for a child will be an occasion to have fun, and dream about the next weekend, and cheer up a little. And it won’t affect your health. And a plate of lollipops as an additive to tea is already too much.

In order for even the notorious confectionery to become a joy, it is worth buying only high-quality types of lollipops with natural ingredients in the composition and only occasionally as a good and expensive gift for yourself or your loved ones.