You know that sugar is bad for you yet you can’t resist eating it. That sweet tooth simply craves it, and it’s hard to turn down.
Well, here is some good news: you can satisfy that craving without eating sugary foods. There are some healthy, sweet alternatives. Here are a few sweet snacks you can add to your diet:
Frozen fruits – Frozen bananas in particular taste nice and sweet. They also make a wonderful substitute for ice cream. The potassium will help your body deal with sodium, so if you’re carrying water weight due to excessive sodium intake, frozen bananas can help decrease bloating. Keep frozen fruits in your freezer and grab a few to curb your sweet tooth.
Berries – Not only do berries taste sweet, they are an excellent source of antioxidants. The next time you feel junk-food cravings, grab a small handful of blueberries, raspberries, or cherries. JoyBauer.com has a list of “health benefits of berries”. You might want to go a bit easy on the berries if you suffer from IBS.
Fat-free pudding with almonds – With fat-free varieties of pudding, there is no need to hold back from this sweet snack. Just top a fat-free pudding cup with a bit of protein and sliced almonds for dessert. A lot of people prefer chocolate but fat-free pudding is available in many flavors, and almonds taste great with just about any of them.
Creatine drink – Need an energy boost but don’t want to drink unhealthy energy drinks? Try a natural one. Mix this ingredient with juice to create a natural electrolyte-containing energy drink. Some say it has a sour taste and some say it’s sweet. If you don’t like the taste of creatine, it’s available in pill form at Beltdlabs.com. It can be considered a useful supplement to suppress cravings.
Agave peach – Slice up a peach and drizzle it in agave nectar for extra sweetness. The snack is not only tasty, it’s packed with Vitamin C and potassium. Another way to enjoy this treat is to make pudding: smash up the peach and mix it in a cup with ¾ agave nectar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 packet of no-sugar needed pectin.
Dehydrated apple chips –HallmarkChannel.com offers recipes on dehydrated apple chips and kale chips. Dried apples taste even better when sprinkled with cinnamon (don’t go overboard with the cinnamon!). While you’re at it, you might want to dip the cinnamon-sprinkled chips in a cup of fat-free vanilla yogurt.
Prunes – Just reach for a handful of prunes next time you start to feel sugary cravings. Approximately 6 dried plums averages around 100 calories. You can buy them as single serve packets by brands like Sunkist or in a lidded container. Not only do prunes taste sweet, they’re also known to relieve stomach problems.
Instead of eating a bowl of ice cream or munching on candy all day, eat one of these healthy snacks instead. Some of them might take some getting used to, but you’ll love them once they become a part of your diet. To learn more about nutrition and fitness, check out Beldt Labs.