Our cravings can get the best of us, but we don’t have to resort to unhealthy ways of satisfying our need for sweet things. Here are a few simple ways to satisfy a sweet tooth without adding to the bulge.
Substitute fresh fruit for candy.
Fresh fruit sometimes has as much sugar as those sweet treats we love to indulge in every now and then, however, these sugars are natural and easier for the body to break them down and convert into energy. Incorporate a fruit salad in your breakfast or a fruit smoothie with a bit of protein powder whenever you have that craving.
Choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate.
One of the guiltiest pleasures of satisfying a sweet tooth is snacking on chocolate. Coming in many different versions from milk chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate swirled with caramel, this cocoa treat can become fattening if consumed in high quantities on a daily basis. Milk chocolate contains dairy that can add to your fat intake, so swap out the lighter chocolate for dark chocolate. Not only will it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will help with your heart health and provide antioxidants to the body that can help with boosting the immune system.
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Savor a tablespoon of raw honey.
Want to knock out a sweet tooth with quickness? Grab a tablespoon and your favorite raw honey and take a tablespoon of it for good measure. Honey is extremely sweet and has immune system boosting properties that are good for fighting off infections in the body. Don’t want to eat the honey alone? Sprinkle a bit over a handful of granola or place it in a cup of green tea to further help boost your immune system.
Swap ice cream with natural frozen fruit bars or Italian ice.
With the summer months approaching, ice cream will be a number one seller for frozen treats, but the sugar combined with dairy can pack on the extra pounds. Substitute the frozen cow juice for frozen fruit bars that are made from 100% real fruit. Even better, Italian ice is a great way to incorporate the natural sugars of fruit without adding to your waistline. A sign that it is a real fruit Italian ice: chunks of real fruit within the ice mixture.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Food center for more helpful articles and tips.