Do You Have A Sweet Tooth? Make It Healthy!

Sugar is everywhere in our diets. From the obvious foods such as desserts, cakes and pies, to the not so obvious like fruit, your regular morning cereals, or the ketchup you add to your burger, nearly everything you buy commercially is packed full of added and largely hidden sugars. While fat has been demonized as the macro-nutrient most likely to contribute to obesity, heart disease and early death in the past, sugar could be just as detrimental, if not more so.

You can’t really single out one aspect of modern life as being the sole cause of illness, disease and obesity, so you shouldn’t put all the blame on sugar, but your sweet tooth definitely won’t be helping your weight loss or health.

Most sweet treats contain a large number of calories. Take something as seemingly innocent as a McDonalds strawberry milkshake. One large shake has 79 grams of sugar and 550 calories, while a Krispy Kreme iced donut has 66 grams of the white stuff.

Even something supposedly healthy, like fresh fruit, can come with a huge amount of sugar. Your average banana has just under 30 grams of sugar, an apple around 20 grams and a large handful of raisins about 30 grams too.

Unfortunately, those calories all add up. And let’s not forget that sugar is extremely easy to over consume. Who really stops at just one piece of apple pie or one cookie? Even with fruit, if you’ve got a box of grapes on your desk in the office, you’ll probably munch through the whole lot in an afternoon without even thinking about it.

Sugar plays havoc with your levels of insulin, which can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and also contributes to fat storage, according to coach Charles Poliquin of the Poliquin Performance Center in Rhode Island. Eating too much sugar can also raise your risk of osteoporosis and cancer, plus those added calories are no good for your waistline.

Some people just can’t control their sweet tooth though.

If you’re one of those people who just has to have a daily sugar fix, it can be hard to eliminate or even cut down on sugar. You become so reliant on it that you often feel like you can’t get through the day without something sweet. A night in at home on the sofa becomes unbearable without a bar of chocolate, bowl of popcorn or can of drink.

Fear not though, there are plenty of ways you can still serve your sweet tooth without your daily sugar count racking up and derailing your weight loss progress.

Healthier Sweet Treats

First thing’s first, before you do anything else – start keeping a food diary and monitoring your daily intake. This is the initial step to cutting down your sugar intake and making you aware of exactly how much you’re eating. If you’re looking to lose weight, a good starting point is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to help cut calories (sugar being a carbohydrate.)

Women should aim for around 100 to 150 grams per day and men 150 to 200 grams. Of this, you should be hitting at least 30 to 40 grams of fiber each day. Fiber-rich foods such as green and starchy vegetables, beans and whole grains tend to be very low in sugar, so by boosting your intake of these you’ll automatically be reducing your sugar intake. You'll also feel more satiated for longer, which is going to help you keep those sugar cavings in check.

Switch to Sweetener

Much has been made of the artificial sweetener debate, with some industry experts dead against their use in any way whatsoever, with others saying they pose no risk whatsoever and can be eaten ad infinitum. The truth however, as it so often is, is somewhere in the middle. Switching from sugar to sweetener in your coffee, on your cereals and in desserts is a surefire way to get that sweet kick without the dreaded calorie bomb. Not all sweeteners are created equal, however, and now, one of the healthiest sugar alternatives is stevia. Stevia also happens to be quite tasty.

Fruit

Not all fruits are packed with sugar. Berries are your best bet, as these tend to be far lower in carbs – usually around 5 to 8 grams of carbs per 100 gram serving. Go for blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or blackberries, along with cherries, satsumas, kiwis, grapefruit and watermelon for lower sugar fruity sweet choices.

Recipes

It’s easy to make some of your favorite regular desserts and sweet treats far healthier. Try a few of these for starters –

Sugar-Free Meringue

- 4 eggs whites
- Splenda/Stevia to taste
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients in a glass bowl until the mixture forms stiff peaks, then place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in an oven at 250F for 18 to 20 minutes.

Voila – low sugar meringue. Add chopped fruit, sugar-free syrup or a little cream or Greek yogurt to make it into an awesome dessert.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Flapjack

Forget your sugar-packed shop-bought flapjacks and try these high-fiber, low-sugar, doubly as tasty ones instead.

- 2 cups oats
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- 2 cups chopped apples
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sweetener to taste

Mix all these ingredients together in a large bowl, then transfer them to a baking dish. Add enough hot water to cover the mixture entirely, and then place them in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake them for an hour. Check every 15 minutes or so to make sure it isn’t getting too dry and add more water if needed. For a protein kick, add 2 scoops of vanilla flavored whey protein powder. Easy!

Low-Sugar Protein Muffins

- ½ cup egg whites
- ½ cup quinoa flakes
- 3 scoops protein powder (chocolate works best)
- 3 tbsps almond flour
- 3 tbsps cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda

Blend everything in a blender until it is smooth, spoon the mixture into 8 individual muffin cases and bake for 45 minutes at 340 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also add extras like cherries, or good quality dark chocolate too. Each muffin has under 5 grams of sugar, but an impressive 13 grams of protein.

Power Smoothie

Never mind sugar-filled pre-made smoothies and shakes that you buy from McDonalds, try this protein-packed, deliciously sweet smoothie:

To a blender, add –

- 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
- 1 large handful of spinach
- 1 tbsp cocoa
- 1 tbsp splenda
- Ice and water for desired consistency

Blend on high and enjoy.

Living a low-sugar life doesn't have to mean kissing goodbye to sweetness!