How to Enjoy Sweets on a Diet
Go for breakfast foods with high amounts of fruit and vegetables., Try frozen grapes., Snack on trail mix with dried fruit., Go for dark chocolate, in moderation., Add maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar to your meals., Make desserts with natural...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go for breakfast foods with high amounts of fruit and vegetables.
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and there are several options you can try for a healthy meal full of natural sweeteners, including:
A breakfast smoothie made with a frozen banana, frozen strawberries or blueberries, coconut water, and chia seeds or hemp seeds.
This gives you lots of natural sugar and fiber, as well as energy in the form of chia or hemp seeds.
A breakfast smoothie made with spinach, seedless grapes, and coconut water or low-fat coconut milk.
This hydrating smoothie will get you ready for the day.
Non-fat greek yogurt with high fiber fruit like blueberries or raspberries, topped with ground nuts like almonds or pecans.
The yogurt has about 9 g of sugar, 20 g of protein, and only 120 calories.
The ground nuts are a good source of omega-3 fats. -
Step 2: Try frozen grapes.
These frozen treats are naturally sweet and good for you.
They are high in sugar and lower in fiber than other fruits, but they are a good way to wean off snacking on candy with artificial sweeteners and preservatives.Place a bunch of grapes in the freezer.
Take out about 10 frozen grapes and eat them with a serving of nuts, like almonds, to prevent your blood sugar from spiking. , If you are a constant snacker and tend to go for sugary treats like gummy worms, lollipops, or chocolate bars, substitute these for trail mix with dried fruit.Dried fruit by itself can cause bloating and discomfort.
It is also stripped of a lot of fiber during the dehydration process.
Combine dried fruit with nuts in trail mix that is low in added sugar, no more than 5 grams a serving.
The nuts will give you protein, fat and fiber that is lacking in dried fruit on its own.
Buy dried fruit like crystallized ginger, apple slices, banana slices, dried apricots, dried mango or dried figs and mix them with nuts so you have an easy snack when you have a sugar craving. , If you have a hard time letting go of chocolate-y treats, substitute milk chocolate with a piece of dark chocolate that has no added sugar.
Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants, is usually less processed than milk chocolate, and contains less sugar.Try to buy one bar of high quality dark chocolate for as a special snack.
The strong taste of dark chocolate should make it hard to overindulge. , These natural sweeteners contain minerals and nutrients that are good for you, and that taste pretty good.Maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes; add it to salad dressings, sauces, in baking and on top of yogurt or in smoothies.
It contains minerals like manganese and zinc.
Look for all natural maple syrup at your local grocery store.
Honey contains 21 calories per a teaspoon, so only use a small amount per a meal.
It is sweeter and thicker than sugar and is a natural source of antioxidants.
Try honey over your yogurt and granola, to sweeten your tea, on toast, or in oatmeal.
You can also bake with honey by replacing each cup of sugar in a recipe with one cup less 3 tablespoons of honey.
Agave is a liquid sweetener that comes from the cactus-like agave plant.
The nectar is processed into a syrup, which contains 20 calories per a teaspoon.
Agave is lower on the glycemic index than other sweeteners, so it won’t make your blood sugar spike.
It also has a neutral flavor that works well in smoothies, tea, and baking.
It is also about 50 percent sweeter than sugar.
However, it is considered a processed sugar and is more expensive than honey or maple syrup. , Integrate natural sweeteners like honey, agave, and maple syrup into your baking so you can avoid eating processed and artificial sugars.
Try several recipes, including:
Banana, coconut, and cashew cream tart, sweetened with maple syrup.Honey whole wheat banana nut loaf, sweetened with honey.An all-fruit popsicle, made with fresh fruit like watermelon, ice, and a touch of honey for sweetness.Banana coconut dairy free ice cream, sweetened with agave.Double dark chocolate and ginger brownies, sweetened with crystallized ginger and dark chocolate. -
Step 3: Snack on trail mix with dried fruit.
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Step 4: Go for dark chocolate
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Step 5: in moderation.
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Step 6: Add maple syrup
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Step 7: or agave nectar to your meals.
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Step 8: Make desserts with natural ingredients and sweeteners.
Detailed Guide
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and there are several options you can try for a healthy meal full of natural sweeteners, including:
A breakfast smoothie made with a frozen banana, frozen strawberries or blueberries, coconut water, and chia seeds or hemp seeds.
This gives you lots of natural sugar and fiber, as well as energy in the form of chia or hemp seeds.
A breakfast smoothie made with spinach, seedless grapes, and coconut water or low-fat coconut milk.
This hydrating smoothie will get you ready for the day.
Non-fat greek yogurt with high fiber fruit like blueberries or raspberries, topped with ground nuts like almonds or pecans.
The yogurt has about 9 g of sugar, 20 g of protein, and only 120 calories.
The ground nuts are a good source of omega-3 fats.
These frozen treats are naturally sweet and good for you.
They are high in sugar and lower in fiber than other fruits, but they are a good way to wean off snacking on candy with artificial sweeteners and preservatives.Place a bunch of grapes in the freezer.
Take out about 10 frozen grapes and eat them with a serving of nuts, like almonds, to prevent your blood sugar from spiking. , If you are a constant snacker and tend to go for sugary treats like gummy worms, lollipops, or chocolate bars, substitute these for trail mix with dried fruit.Dried fruit by itself can cause bloating and discomfort.
It is also stripped of a lot of fiber during the dehydration process.
Combine dried fruit with nuts in trail mix that is low in added sugar, no more than 5 grams a serving.
The nuts will give you protein, fat and fiber that is lacking in dried fruit on its own.
Buy dried fruit like crystallized ginger, apple slices, banana slices, dried apricots, dried mango or dried figs and mix them with nuts so you have an easy snack when you have a sugar craving. , If you have a hard time letting go of chocolate-y treats, substitute milk chocolate with a piece of dark chocolate that has no added sugar.
Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants, is usually less processed than milk chocolate, and contains less sugar.Try to buy one bar of high quality dark chocolate for as a special snack.
The strong taste of dark chocolate should make it hard to overindulge. , These natural sweeteners contain minerals and nutrients that are good for you, and that taste pretty good.Maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes; add it to salad dressings, sauces, in baking and on top of yogurt or in smoothies.
It contains minerals like manganese and zinc.
Look for all natural maple syrup at your local grocery store.
Honey contains 21 calories per a teaspoon, so only use a small amount per a meal.
It is sweeter and thicker than sugar and is a natural source of antioxidants.
Try honey over your yogurt and granola, to sweeten your tea, on toast, or in oatmeal.
You can also bake with honey by replacing each cup of sugar in a recipe with one cup less 3 tablespoons of honey.
Agave is a liquid sweetener that comes from the cactus-like agave plant.
The nectar is processed into a syrup, which contains 20 calories per a teaspoon.
Agave is lower on the glycemic index than other sweeteners, so it won’t make your blood sugar spike.
It also has a neutral flavor that works well in smoothies, tea, and baking.
It is also about 50 percent sweeter than sugar.
However, it is considered a processed sugar and is more expensive than honey or maple syrup. , Integrate natural sweeteners like honey, agave, and maple syrup into your baking so you can avoid eating processed and artificial sugars.
Try several recipes, including:
Banana, coconut, and cashew cream tart, sweetened with maple syrup.Honey whole wheat banana nut loaf, sweetened with honey.An all-fruit popsicle, made with fresh fruit like watermelon, ice, and a touch of honey for sweetness.Banana coconut dairy free ice cream, sweetened with agave.Double dark chocolate and ginger brownies, sweetened with crystallized ginger and dark chocolate.
About the Author
Justin Gonzalez
A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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