Need inspiration on what sweet treats to make next? Here are three desserts that are naturally sweetened to help you cut down on added sugars and empty calories
Eating sugary desserts is considered a guilty pleasure largely because of the added sugars. Not only do they typically have more calories than nutrients, but consuming added sugars excessively presents a long-term health risk. Specifically, an excessive intake of these empty calories can increase your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and more. With these in mind, it is no wonder that low-sugar and sugar-free options are rapidly gaining marketability.
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But even so, we deserve a sweet treat every now and then. So if you want to satisfy your cravings at home, go for naturally sweetened desserts instead. Notably, natural sugars are found in milk and fruits, so you won’t go wrong with the treats listed below.
Stuffed dates
Dates stuffed with walnuts are an easy fix for your sweet tooth. The best part? They’re heart-healthy brain-boosters. To make it even more fulfilling, try out Emily Mariko’s recipe for date snickers. For that, you’ll need unsweetened peanut butter and chopped walnuts for the stuffing, then melted dark chocolate for the coating. Place as many dates as you’d like on a tray, then freeze them until chewy. Alternatively, you can stuff dates with goat cheese and enjoy a highly nutritious snack.
Apple slices and yogurt
When it comes to naturally sweetened healthy treats, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of apple slices and yogurt. But one way to elevate this go-to mix is to add rolled oats and cinnamon for taste. You can take this concept even further by transforming it into an apple crumble with just a few more ingredients. EatingWell Test Kitchen’s Apple Crumble with Oats recipe, in particular, is a good one to turn to if you’re looking for something diabetes-appropriate and low-calorie.
Chia pudding
Chia pudding is another dependable and filling dish for the sugar-conscious sweet tooth, especially if you top it off with high-fiber raspberries. Not only is chia pudding incredibly healthy, but it also mixes well with other healthy and naturally sweet fruits like passion fruit, mangoes, bananas, and guavas. For example, Nisha Melvani’s recipe for blended banana chia pudding is a delicious combination of banana, chia seeds, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract—and you get all the sweetness without the empty calories.
