I have a massive sweet tooth. Yes, I could head to Dunkin’ and shovel
a dozen Munchkins down my throat, but…that is in direct conflict with
my desire to fit into my clothes. Not very healthy. How do you satisfy a sweet tooth
without ruining your diet? (And by diet I mean healthy eating regimen,
not crazy cabbage soup only type of thing).
I found 5 healthier ways to satisfy my sweet tooth, and hopefully they work for you as well!
Betsy’s Best: Nut and Seed Butters
All
the jars of healthy, natural nut butters I have tried in the past were fairly
tasteless, runny and fairly bland. When I received Besty’s to try, I
admit I was skeptical…until I dipped a spoon in and had my first
taste. I was half a jar in when I came out of my food trance and had to
force myself to twist the lid back on. Honestly, this is some of the
best food I have tasted- completely addictive. This line of butters was
created by Betsy Opyt, a registered Dietitian and certified personal
trainer, so you know this is full of super foods like chia seeds and
healthy oils and free of chemicals and artificial ingredients.
I
sampled two flavors- Cardamom Cashew Butter and Cinnamon Almond Butter,
and both had a unique texture and flavor profile. The Cardamom added a
bit of savory, while the cinnamon was just sweet enough to prevent me
from wanting to eat a dozen candy bars in rapid succession during a
sugar craving. Here’s the sweetest part- a 2 tablespoon serving has only 3
grams of sugar. Slather it on sliced apples or sandwich it in a
crepe….or spoon it out of the jar while you hide in the pantry from
your kids like I do.
Grab it on Amazon here- $14.99 for 12 oz, and worth every single penny.
Whipped Cream
Every
time I am at Trader Joe’s, I ask my checkout gal or guy what their
favorite product in the store is. A few years ago, the cashier told me
about their Whipped Cream- he said that I would never purchase Reddi
Whip again. That prophecy came true the minute I sampled Cabot Whipped
Cream- it tastes just like fresh made whipped cream but fluffier and
easier to dispense. It doesn’t contain corn syrup like most whipped
creams in a can, but instead uses natural vanilla flavor. I use it in my
coffee every day in lieu of adding sugar, and top fresh berries with it
for dessert. Instead of ice cream or sorbet, I add this whipped cream
to frozen cherries or blueberries and mix it around until it coats them.
With only 15 calories per 2 tablespoon, this
makes the perfect substitute to sprinkling sugar on anything. And hey,
if you eat it directly from the can, I won’t judge you…I will probably
be right there next to you doing the same thing. Their website has a product locator, so plug in your zip code and see where you can grab this. I buy it three cans at a time to stock up!
Chocolate Covered Bananas
I
remember eating chocolate-covered bananas at Cedar Point when I was a
little kid- it was the ultimate treat during the summertime and totally
exotic to a small town kid like me. Fast forward oh, a few dozen years
and they are now available in convenient little treat packs in the
grocery store. I have had both Diana’s Bananas and the Trader Joe’s
version, both of which are delish. Diana’s Bananas only has 100 calories
per 4 pieces- just enough to satisfy that sugar craving without
damaging your diet.
Photo: Martha Stewart
Want to make your own? Martha Stewart has a recipe on her website, but c’mon….just melt the chocolate, dip the bananas and pop in the freezer.
Kind Bars
I was first introduced to Kind Bars by Stephanie Mansour,
a Health & Fitness Expert that I met in the Green Room before a Fox
32 segment. She was talking about exercise apparel, and me…I don’t
even remember what I was jabbering on about on camera. Anyways, I signed
up for her free 21 day challenge and found that she recommended Kind
Bars because they have a low glycemic index, are made of
nutritionally-dense ingredients like whole nuts and fruit, and
well…they just taste really darn good. I don’t eat these daily, but
if I get a craving for say, Salted Caramel Ice Cream, I reach for their
Caramel Almond and Sea Salt Bar.
Cereal
Every
Halloween, I buy a box of Count Chocula and hide it from my kids, then I
ration out about a cup for myself when I get a craving for all the
candy that they bring home. There are a bunch of cereals out there that
are healthier than chowing a Snickers or sneaking some Kisses.
Multi-Grain Cheerios Dark Chocolate Crunch and Barbara’s Puffins are two
recommended by Hungry Girl, and I concur.
The
major thing about cereal is realizing how much a serving size is, and
acknowledging that by adding milk you are adding calories. I usually
measure out a serving and eat it sans milk as a snack.
How do you cure those sugar cravings? Do you have favorite treats that satisfy your sweet tooth? Please share!
Cheers to healthy but not I’m-eating-only-kale-and-quinoa-for-the-rest-of-eternity eating styles!
