Many of us cannot imagine life without cakes, cakes and chocolate chip cookies. But the older we get, the more often doctors remind us of the dangers of eating too much sugar, and we have to listen to their advice. For many, this means eliminating desserts from their diet. However, the need to limit yourself is no longer necessary thanks to the many vegan substitutes for traditional sweets, which can already be found in many grocery stores.
By following these five tips, you can indulge in delicious treats.
Use Natural Sweeteners
Many studies show that white sugar is unhealthy because it is stripped of all of its natural minerals after processing. When refined, white sugar becomes nothing more than empty calories that raise blood sugar levels, affect mood, and negatively impact health.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up sugary desserts, because vegan alternatives like date syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, and maple syrup are available at just about every grocery store. Some of these plant-based sweeteners are even healthy, as they contain iron, calcium, and other minerals. This way, you won’t deviate from a healthy diet and can enjoy sweet treats.
Eliminate Gluten
Gluten is notorious for its negative health effects. And although health problems may not appear in the near future, it is certainly not worth taking risks and waiting for this to happen. So be sure to use alternatives such as tapioca starch, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, millet, and oats instead of gluten in your baked goods. When used with rice flour, tapioca flour can act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together, which can turn your chocolate bar into a delicious brownie.
Simplify
Dessert doesn’t have to be chocolate chip cookies! There are plenty of whole foods to satisfy your sugar cravings. For example, maple syrup-glazed sweet potatoes taste delicious, frozen grapes are the perfect afternoon snack, and chocolate pudding can be made healthier with avocado, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. Remember: sometimes, the simpler your choice, the healthier your snack will be. Isn’t that one of the reasons why we love veganism so much?
Eatgreenery
Sweet cravings can be due to a lack of minerals, often associated with low potassium intake. Potassium is essential for hundreds of cellular and enzymatic reactions in your body, and a lack of potassium can make you feel tired and sluggish during workouts, as well as make you crave sugary or salty foods. Luckily, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and beets contain potassium. While green vegetables are far from being a dessert, you can always include them in a banana, agave and almond milk smoothie.
Add fat to your diet
If you’re on a low-fat diet, you’re more likely to have a craving for sugary snacks. Fat stabilizes blood sugar levels and prevents them from spikes and drops after eating a meal of refined flour and sugar. Healthy fats are found in coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, and peanut butter. Almonds or cashews can also be a great source of fat and protein, which help satisfy your appetite, support a healthy diet, and reduce sugar cravings.