Do you have a sweet tooth?

It’s nearly meal time, so before temptation gets the better of you, I’d like to share a few of my ‘sweet treat’ insights!

Do you often crave for a dessert after a meal? 

Even after eating healthy meals, do you find it difficult to stop yourself reaching for the cookie jar? (I put my hands up… I’m as guilty as charged on this one!)

These cravings for something sweet are mostly caused by a sugar addiction, but your body might not want as much sugar as you may think. 

How many of us have opened a bag of sweeties, convincing ourselves that we will only have one…or two and before we know it we have finished the whole lot?!

If we could just stick to one or two then that would be great; it’s a given that portion control is a huge factor in allowing yourself a little treat. However, sometimes even a small portion can contain much more sugar and calories than you would expect… It’s actually quite shocking!

 

 

Did you know that 1/6^th of a normal plain cheese cake can be up to 257 calories?

And that one Red Velvet Cupcake is approximately 335 calories?!

Only ½ a cup of Ben and Jerry Chocolate and Fudge ice cream is a whopping 330 calories, (meaning a full cup is 660 calories!!)

 

 

And you might be lead to believe that a chocolate mousse is a lighter, healthier alternative to ice-cream but one pot of Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Mousse is still going to cost you 300 calories!

If you are not a cake or ice-cream fan, you might be inclined to think that a chocolate bar is just a little snack… but don’t be fooled! A Snickers bar comes in at 271 calories.

To put all this information into perspective, you could eat this WHOLE healthy pizza for only 300 calories, which is less than most of these snacks!

 

recipe found here!

 

 

And here is the real shocker… I doubt that many of us would consider a deep-fried Mars Bar as a ‘little’ sweet treat or snack… but if you did want to indulge, did you know that they are 932 calories each?!

Desserts have two hidden dangers: SUGAR and FAT

These are both used to enhance texture and taste and are responsible for all the unhealthy calories found in puddings and chocolate bars. The spoonful’s and spoonful’s of sugar that are added to such ‘treats’ will not only contribute to weight gain, but they are also putting us at a risk of Diabetes.

So if our body doesn’t really require all the sugar that we think it does, why do we get such strong cravings?

 

The sugar addiction is a vicious cycle:

If you eat something that is high in carbohydrates (which is most common at meal times), your body releases a high amount of insulin to break down the sugar that the carbohydrates contain. This causes blood sugar levels to drop as the insulin gets to work, causing your brain to react and crave more sugar. But if you satisfy this craving by eating something sugary, the same cycle will only repeat itself!

It is important for you to give your body enough time to stabilise before you make the decision over whether or not you would like a desert.

Curb your cravings the natural + healthy way:

When you do feel a little overwhelmed by your cravings, all you need is fruit. Fruits are full of natural sugar and will satisfy your craving without pushing you into the vicious sugar high/ sugar low cycle.

Be creative... Here are a few examples of how you can turn fruit into a healthy snack or pudding:

· Make a fruit smoothie (find the recipe for 7 Detox Smoothies here)

· Fruit salad with yoghurt

· 1 1/2 cup strawberries with 3 Tbsp of Fat Free‘Cool Whip’

· Poached pears

· Chopped or mashed watermelon pieces with mint + lime (for more watermelon ideas, click here)

· A selection of dry fruits- For example: raisins, black currants, dates, prunes or figs

· And every once a while, why not try an orange with a square of grated dark chocolate!

Get rid of that sweet tooth: When you get a craving, stop and ask yourself if you are truly hungry or if you would just like something sweet out of habit.

Take one step at a time: Cut down on the sugar added to your morning cereals, tea and coffee. Sugar is sugar. Whether it is white, brown, artificial sweeteners or honey!

Sugar may also be hiding in your foods under the aliases:

·        High-fructose corn syrup

·        Dextrose

·        Molasses

·        Malt syrup

·        Evaporated cane juice

·        Glucose

·        Lactose

·        Sucrose

So watch out for those too!

After a few weeks of avoiding sugar, you'll be surprised at how little you miss it. As your cravings for sugar are caused by addiction, you will go through a withdrawal process. You may feel flat, tired and lacking in energy but this will only be for a short while.

 So next time you are asked if you have any room for dessert, make a wise choice and you will feel all the better for it!