Those after dinner sweets cravings hit some of us pretty hard, and they can be hard to ignore!
One minute you’re eating your nutritious plate of veggies and roasted chicken, the next you’re fork deep in a slice of triple chocolate fudge cake.
It’s okay to indulge every now and then! The problem is when that slice of cake becomes part of your nightly routine: have dinner, wash dishes, eat cake, brush teeth, go to bed.
Maybe you can’t exactly grow out of having a killer sweet tooth, but there are healthier ways of satisfying those cravings without diving into a giant piece of cake!
Here’s 5 ways you can get the sweet stuff while staying on track with your health!
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate doesn’t have any of the added fat and sugar that milk chocolate does; meaning that, when eaten in moderation, dark chocolate is a healthy treat!
Aside from its lack of additional fat, dark chocolate is also packed with antioxidants, can lower blood pressure, and can help regulate the stress hormone, cortisol.
If you don’t want to eat plain dark chocolate, try getting creative and use it as a topping for your yogurt, serve with a side of fruit, or mix it into a smoothie!
There’s many ways you can divvy up this treat to your liking, don’t be afraid to experiment!
Banana Ice Cream
Imagine this: you can dip your spoon into some healthy ice cream made entirely from bananas and not feel guilty.
Yes, you read that correctly!
By freezing a couple of bananas and blending them in a food processor, you get a smooth, ice cream-like texture that you can enjoy however you want!
Throw in some peanut butter and cocoa powder and you’ve got a decadent dessert.
Or how about some frozen mixed berries for more of a fruity flavor?
The possibilities are endless with this frozen treat, style it however you want with your favorite healthy add ins!
Yogurt Parfait
A simple go-to for, well, any time of day really!
Grab some plain greek yogurt and top it with low sugar granola, nuts, honey, or fresh fruit to add some sweet and crunchy texture.
You can even add our old friend dark chocolate to the mix by crumbling up some pieces and sprinkling it over the yogurt.
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Some of you might be thinking “uhh…what?”
Yes, this is a thing. And yes, it’s delicious, simple, and healthy!
The dark chocolate overpowers the taste of the avocado, so you’re left with a creamy, chocolatey dessert for one (or to share, if you’re feeling generous).
And, it doesn’t have the added sugar and artificial ingredients of regular pudding.
If you needed another reason to love avocado, here it is!
Sweet Potatoes With Cinnamon
You probably don’t think of vegetables as “dessert”, but the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes makes them perfect candidates!
All you need to do is cut them in half, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Grab a fork, curl up on the couch, and enjoy!
These are only a few of the many healthier dessert options for when the sweet tooth craving hits! Just because you love sweets doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying them. It means you enjoy them in moderation (and make modifications) so that you avoid going overboard. Balance is key!
