We all want to lead the healthiest lives that we possibly can. We take so many steps to achieve this. We’ll try to stick within our recommended calorie limits. We’ll eat our five a day. We’ll try to hit our recommended one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. We’ll visit the doctor, dentist, optometrist and a whole host of other healthcare professionals. But there are some areas in life that we can often struggle to feel we’re keeping as healthy as we possibly can. Dessert can easily fall into this area. Many of us enjoy a good dessert at some point in the day or following our evening meal, but end up feeling guilty or as though we’re doing something wrong when we do so. It’s important to know that you can definitely enjoy a dessert as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Here are a few ways to achieve this!
Moderation is Key
Let’s start out by highlighting that moderation is key. Sure, many desserts can contain ingredients that may not be the best for your body. But as long as you are eating a healthy and balanced diet around your desserts, and as long as you are still staying within your recommended calorie range, you should be absolutely fine to enjoy an occasional sweet treat. You don’t need to completely deprive yourself of desserts to lead a healthy and beneficial lifestyle!
Consider Options That Incorporate Fruit
We all know that we should get our five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Choosing desserts that have plenty of fruit in them can help you to hit this goal. Even if fruits are baked, dried or incorporated into your dessert in other ways, they will still give your body a good hit of nutrients that will be extremely beneficial. Follow a fruit tart recipe, sprinkle fresh fruit over your ice cream, sorbet or cakes or simply have fresh, whole fruit as a dessert in its own right.
Consider Smaller Portions
If you’re close to your daily recommended calorie limit and want a dessert that will tip you over the edge, why not simply consider a smaller portion? You can still enjoy the dessert but you might just not need a big slice or portion.
Use Dark Chocolate
There are plenty of types of chocolate out there, but dark chocolate tends to be the healthiest, coming hand in hand with a host of health benefits. Using dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate or white chocolate can be a much healthier option. Believe it or not, a 100 gram bar of dark chocolate (with 70-85% cocoa) contains roughly:
- 11 grams of fiber
- 67% of the DV for iron
- 58% of the DV for magnesium
- 89% of the DV for copper
- 98% of the DV for manganese
It is also associated with health benefits such as improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure, providing your body with antioxidants, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease and so much more!
Reduce Sugar
Making sugar free desserts can be much better for you – and there are plenty of sugar free recipes out there to follow. Some use fruit, healthier sugar sources such as honey or artificial sweeteners to create a delicious, sweet pudding without being so damaging to your teeth or causing your blood sugar to spike.
Consider Alternative Flours
Rather than opting for white flour, like many recipes will automatically recommend, it’s a good idea to use healthier alternatives like whole wheat flour or almond flour. This is often less processed than white wheat and can increase your intake of fiber or protein. These can also be better options for those who are sensitive to gluten. If you want to ease yourself into this change, you can try mixing half white flour with half alternative flour and enjoying the best of both worlds.
Try Applesauce Instead of Oil
If a recipe allows for a little apple taste, you may want to try replacing high fat oils like canola and vegetable oil with a healthier alternative of unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce adds moisture and flavor to dishes, just like oil, and works particularly well when used in cake, muffins and breads. This applesauce alternative can actually help you to significantly lower your fat and calorie intake, and boost the amount of fiber and vitamin C you consume in your desserts. Just use ¾ of a cup of applesauce per every cup of oil for a lighter and more nutritious option.
These are simple steps, but they are easy to follow and can make your desserts a lot healthier. Hopefully, you’ll find some of the recommendations useful!
Hi I'm glad your here! I love to cook, bake and try new recipes. I enjoy food photography and reviewing products. Hope you enjoy my recipes, thanks for visiting! Sheila