Healthy Foods to Eat When You Crave Sweets
Trying to lose weight while battling a sweet tooth? These simple snacks can help keep you on track when the cravings hit. With combinations of nutrients like protein and fiber with small amounts of more natural sugars, you’ll be able to feed your need for sweet without going overboard.
Smoothies
Fruit smoothies are a great snack and are often sweet enough to ward off the desire for a cookie or two. Use bananas for sweetness, berries for an antioxidant boost, and Greek yogurt for protein. You can even add in mild greens like spinach for extra health benefits without sacrificing flavor. If you need a recipe to get you started, try one of these simple superfood smoothies!
Dark chocolate
Chocolate seems to be one of the more irresistible sweets when it comes to cutting back. Dark chocolate is a good alternative for the typical sugar-laden chocolate you may be accustomed to. Remember that the higher the cocoa content, the better the chocolate is for you.
Yogurt or a yogurt parfait
Plain Greek yogurt or plain yogurt are the best types because they are the lowest in sugar, but mixing in berries or adding a bit of honey can sweeten things up if needed. Make your own parfait by layering the yogurt in a cup with berries and a bit of granola.
Plain or chocolate dipped fruits
Fruits like berries and bananas are great foods to grab when a craving rears its ugly head. Plain is obviously best, but the occasional addition of chocolate can make a fruit more like a dessert. Stick with dark chocolate to keep things as healthy as possible.
Cottage cheese and fruit
Protein and fiber are the star nutrients in this snack. These and the little bit of sweetness provided by the fruit makes it a well-rounded addition to your afternoon.
Trail mix
A trail mix combination of nuts and seeds is a great way to ward off hunger of any kind. Some dried fruit or even a bit of chocolate tossed in may be just enough of a treat to keep your sweet tooth at bay.
A cracker or graham cracker with peanut butter
If you want to avoid sugar altogether, a whole-grain cracker is the way to go, but a graham cracker is a great place to start when you crave sweets. Peanut butter contains protein and healthy fats that will knock out any hunger you might feel. Eat a snack like this when the first signs of hunger begin to show and you may be able to stop a craving before it even begins.
Flavored popcorn
Plain old microwave or stovetop popcorn can be dressed up with seasonings to make a snack for any afternoon slump. Try one of these recipes for popcorn toppings from Spark People, all for less than 150 calories, too!
Kayla Lilly is a photographer, writer, wife, and mama making a house a home in eastern Idaho. She met her mister while working at an amusement park and married him a year later after deciding there was no way to live without him. The amusement has continued as they’ve added three kids and a passel of pets to their lives while finishing college and starting a photography business. Drawing inspiration from the whirlwinds of marriage, parenthood, and the media, Kayla blogs at Utterly Inexperienced, and spends the rest of her time chasing chickens, organizing junk drawers, diapering toddlers, and photographing everyone willing to step in front of her lens.
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