Is there anything sweet that you can eat except fruit? Of course, yes!
A lot of us love sweets, but there are a lot of ways to satisfy our sweet tooth with out going overboard.
It’s Not Just About Weight Loss
Scientific studies on women found sugar containing foods and drinks, to be a risk factor for colon cancer. This makes sense for me, because we all know that a high sugar diet seems to extend the time food waste stays inside the digestive tract. Various other diseases that could be related to higher sugar diets are gall stone disease, insulin resistance, and even cardiovascular disease.
Where do We Get the Majority of Sugar?
- The 1st source of sugar is soda and sugary drinks. We get around 9 tsp of sugar every 12 oz of soda and around 12 tsp of sugar every 12 oz of juices.
- The 2nd source is the bakery group, including cakes, pastries, cookies, and pies. They have about 6 tsp of sugar per 1/16 of a cake and 6 tsp of sugar per 1/6 of an 8 ” pie.
- The 3rd source is sugar substitutes used in processed foods like corn syrup and sweet toppings.
- The 4th source is candy, including chocolate. We get about 3 tsp of sugar every oz of chocolate bar.
- The 5th source includes ice cream and frozen yogurt. There have about 3 tsp of sugar in a ½ cup serving.
What are the Natural Methods for Getting a Sweet Treat Without Sugar?
If you are craving a creamy frozen yogurt type treat, you can bind non fat Greek yogurt with a high fiber fruit (e.g. Raspberries, blueberries or prunes). Top it off with a sprinkle of nuts or flaxseed. (Recipe: Greek Yogurt with Honey and Strawberries)
Granola has a reputation of being a healthy snack, but it can also be a hunger driver. It is not easy to eat a small piece of granola, and you end up having a lot of it down without realizing it. To lower sugar, opt for the bars made of dried fruit, fruit pulp, some soy protein and flaxseed instead.
Go for dark chocolate. The higher the % of cocoa, the lesser the sugar content. Additionally, dark chocolate is a way to get anti- oxidants. (Recipe: Guilt Free Brownies)
Put down the candy bar. There are lots of healthy alternatives like “Think Thin Natural Energy Bars” that satisfies a craving with no excess sugar.
Instead of frosted flakes, try Kashi’s powerhouse cereal packs. They contain 13 g of protein, 10 g of fiber, and 6 g of sugar per serving.
Put natural peanut butter on celery sticks next time you are craving a salty, sweet combo.
By eating a pop-sicle instead of a candy, you may satisfy your sweet tooth without eating more of sugar. A pop-sicle remains for a long time and fulfills you.
Go for naturally sweet alternatives. Benefit from the sweetness of fruit or make recipes with refined sugar substitutes, like apple sauce or fruit juice. (Recipe: Mediterranean Pancakes – Mediterranean Cookies)
Maintaining a healthy diet does not mean you cannot enjoy your favorite sweets moderately. Just be careful about your serving sizes and enjoy small indulgences.
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