Healthy Sugary Foods To Satiate Your Sweet Cravings!
“You needn’t deprive yourself of sugar, because there are many healthy sugary foods which can be eaten daily, without guilt”
In this day and age, most of the foods we eat on a daily basis have added sugars in extreme amounts which are actually concealed in the form of strong flavours and bright colours and an extra sweet taste which makes us crave for more and more! However, the new addiction to sugar is fast becoming a serious concern as binge eating finally leads to deadly non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer etc.
Even though the dangerous consequences of sugary foods is known, it is tough to select and pick the healthy sugary foods whenever a craving arises for a sweet snack. But you needn’t deprive yourself of sugar because there are many healthy sugary foods which can be eaten daily, without guilt to satisfy your sweet tooth and also to keep your serotonin and dopamine levels within the normal range.
Natural And Healthy Sugary Foods
Yogurt
And excellent source of healthy natural sugar, yogurt comes with a good amount of protein, calcium, and probiotics. So, whenever you have a craving for a sugary, fatly ice cream, substitute it with a frozen plain yogurt and add a few pieces of freshly cut strawberries, apples and bananas to enjoy! This is also the safest dessert.
Whole Wheat Bread
Bread, rice and roti are all good sources of carbohydrates and carbohydrates are nothing but simple sugars and complex sugars, which are purely natural, These natural sugars are perfect in providing both energy and a sweet taste for your taste buds. Thus, they keep you calm and reduce your cravings for unhealthy added sugary foods.
Carrots
This bright orange coloured root vegetable also has a good amount of natural sugar in it making it a good healthy sugary food. Boiled or raw carrots are very sweet in taste and have loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Apples
All fruits are natural sources of sugars like fructose and sucrose but along with the natural sugar content, fruits are also the best source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Thus, apple is a good sweet food and can be versatile too. You can have it in the form of raw fruit, a milkshake or with frozen yogurt or just dried slices dipped in honey with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder to add some extra flavour and taste to the fruit.
Sweet Potatoes
Another healthy naturally sweet food is sweet potatoes. Though known since ancient times, recent research suggests that sweet potatoes are the best sweet snack as they are loaded with beta- carotene which raises your vitamin A levels, required for good vision. Sweet potatoes also contain anthocyanins which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect your body from infections, inflammatory conditions like arthritis and even cancer.
Dark Chocolate
When moody, one craves for chocolate the most. But instead of milk chocolate or a normal chocolate which contains 50 per cent plain sugar with empty calories, opt for a dark chocolate which contains 70 per cent 8oper cent cocoa. Dark chocolate not only improves your mood but also has much improves blood circulation in the heart. It also has rich antioxidant properties.
Pineapples
This extremely juicy yellow coloured fibre and sugar-rich fruit is also a healthy option to satiate your sweet tooth.
Milk
Milk is a good source of simple sugar (lactose). Loaded with calcium, protein and fat, milk can be a complete nutritious natural sugary drink with all the macronutrients and few micronutrients. However, opt for low tat milk it your cholesterol levels are on the higher side. You can have plain, hot or chilled milk, or in the form of tea, coffee or milkshakes etc.
Pancakes
Pancakes or French toast is another healthy option for a sweet breakfast. Made with milk, eggs, sugar and flour pancakes can be eaten once a month for breakfast to pamper your taste buds, if you are fond of sweet foods.
Bananas
Bananas are easily available, natural as well as a super healthy sweet food. Thus, it is an excellent alternative for your sweet cravings. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre, this soft, sweet and easily digestible fruit can be part of your dessert.