Honestly, I eat anything I want. I'm not the fittest person in the world, but I like to think that I'm not unhealthy. Nonetheless, I have to improve. After discovering that I have a family history of diabetes and hypothyroid, I became a lot more strict with my dietary habits. If you haven't, please do the same. Always be aware of the risks you're putting yourself through. As I always say, obsession is worth ruining your health over.
Here, I have compiled my favorite ways to stay healthy (with this inseparable sweet tooth).
A spoonful of sugar makes everything better. Satisfy your cravings.
- Low-Calorie Candy like SNAP infusion: You will find candies that only contain 90 calories per pack, and they're still pleasantly sweet and tangy. Again, taste is an opinion, so just go for any candy you prefer with low calories, and indulge. These types of candies are actually not hard to find. You can find them in your grocery stores.
- Drinks that really taste like "the real deal": Flavored water always tastes like the real deal to me. It's that sweetness. That goods taste-bud lovin' sweetness. Also, as hard as it sounds, just stop drinking soda. No soda. Make it a habit. Always chose anything else other than soda. Soda has an immense amount of sugar, and is very unhealthy to consume on even a weekly basis.
- Chocolate milk is so underestimated. It's nutrient-rich, sweet, chocolaty, and always has a low-fat version with the same delicious taste.
- California raisins: Not all dried fruits are created equally. Sweetened dried cranberries can contain up to 40% added sugar, but raisins are just as sweet and chewy, with no sugar added. Plus, they pack a nutritional punch with their fiber, potassium, iron, and more . I just pop raisins in my mouth all day. It's something about that texture that makes me nuts (Bedwell, 2012)!
- Smoothies: You can never go wrong with a good fruit smoothie with/without dairy products. Fruits are enough.
- Banana Ice Cream: Not banana flavored ice cream. Ice cream made out of bananas. Try this: Freeze some over-ripe bananas, throw it in a food processor, and wham. Ice cream. Just top it with some maple syrup, or honey (healthier), and you can't taste the difference. It's amazing.
- Pudding: It's basically milk.
- Homemade lemonade/strawberryade: You can freeze these as popsicles or drink em up, and it'll be delicious!
- Stick to sugar-free Gum (Lisa, 2010)
- Frozen Yogurt: To this day, I haven't been able to tell the difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream. Top it with some fruits and nuts, and you have yourself a full-on dessert (Collie, 2011)!
- Eat fruits in general: You'll get the sugar, but also the nutrients that also come along with it.
- CookingLight has a wonderful set of healthy dessert recipes you should definitely check out.
Other than that...
- Try different techniques to satisfy your sweet cravings with healthy foods. You're still getting the sweet taste, but getting healthier foods.
- Exercise: It's that word everyone hates. But you gotta do it. An amazing way to start off the exercise is by just walking. Just start walking at least 10 minutes a day, and increment it when you want to. Within no time, you'll never want to come back inside. To make time go by faster, bring a buddy or an MP3 with you. Eventually, you'll get to the point where you don't want the time to pass. This is a slow progressing exercise, but it has amazing results as the walker gets addicted simply to walking!
- Eat Slowly: Believe it or not, eating slowly helps you reduce your intake. Also, as a sweet toother, you should already be eating slowly in the first place. You know, to let the flavors sink in. Moderation is key (Ahlberg, 2012).
- Keep a diary of your sweet cravings. This will help you keep track of what/when to eat and and not eat. You'll feel better, and become a lot more organized with your plans, as well (Grieger, 2008).
It is very possible to be healthy and have a sweet tooth. You just have to be very responsible about it.
Sources:
Bedwel,l (2012, March 21). Eat Like Me: Five Healthy Ways to Satisfy your Sweet Tooth. Retrieved from http://www.self.com/fooddiet/blogs/eatlikeme/2012/03/five-better-ways-to-satisfy-yo.html
Lisa (2010, April). Mindfully Fooling a Sweet Tooth. Retrieved from http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2010/04/mindfully-fooling-a-sweet-tooth.html
Racanelli (2010, December). 100-Calorie Ways to Satisfy your Sweet Tooth. Retrieved from
Greiger (2008, November 2). How to Conquer Your Sweet Tooth. Retrieved from http://www.ivillage.com/how-conquer-your-sweet-tooth/4-a-106641
Ahlberg (2012, March 23). Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Blowing Your Diet. Retrieved from http://www.fitsugar.com/Satisfy-Your-Sweet-Tooth-Without-Blowing-Your-Diet-22234344
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