Fulfilling your craving for a sweet treat at the end of the day doesn't have to derail your wellness efforts. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to enjoy dessert without spiking your blood sugar. Here, we'll take a look at the benefits of reducing your daily sugar intake, how making the switch to low-sugar desserts can help you feel satisfied while still offering the sweet end of the day that you look forward to, and, most importantly, we'll share some of our favorite low sugar desserts so you can get started with decreasing your sugar intake today.
Benefits of low-sugar desserts
Whether you're pre-diabetic or diabetic, you've been diagnosed with a health condition that requires you to cut down on your sugar, or you're simply ready to reduce your sugar intake so you can feel your best, low-sugar desserts can help.
Making the switch from sugar-laden treats to low sugar desserts offers many health benefits, including:
- Increased blood sugar stability
- Healthy weight management
- Improved dental health
- Stabilized mood and energy levels
Tips for reducing sugar in baking
Whether you're interested in cutting out added sugars altogether or you're just looking for ways to cut down on sugar when you're baking, there are some simple tips you can implement to keep your sugar intake down when you're baking.
To cut down on sugar while you're baking, try these tips:
- Look for recipes that naturally use less sugar. For example, if you're craving a sweet dessert, fruit pies typically have far less sugar than cakes and cookies.
- Keep an eye out for the effects of lowering sugar in baked goods. It can be harder to get your baked goods to brown when you bake with less sugar, and if you rely on brownness alone, you risk overbaking.
- Consider using sugar as a condiment to increase perceived sweetness. Sprinkling coarse sugar atop muffins and other baked goods can provide a textural treat and help your baked goods offer a taste of sweetness, despite containing less sugar overall.
Healthy sugar substitutes to use
When it comes to sugar-free sweeteners, it's important that you do your research, talk with your healthcare provider, and make choices based on what works well for your body. Sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, and monk fruit are often a better choice than chemical sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin. If you're using artificial sweeteners for the first time, be sure to keep an eye out for side effects like digestive upset, headaches, or increased sugar cravings.
Easy low-sugar desserts
Short on time? We've got you. Check out these easy, no-bake, low-sugar desserts to fulfill your sweet tooth without turning on the oven.
No-Bake Peanut-Apple Balls
You'll love these No-Bake Peanut-Apple Balls brought to you by the creative minds at Better Homes & Gardens.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup chunky peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups rice and wheat cereal flakes
- ⅓ cup dried apples, cut into small pieces with kitchen shears
- ⅛ teaspoon apple pie spice
Instructions:
- In a large bowl stir together peanut butter and honey. Stir in cereal, snipped dried apples, and apple pie spice. Chill mixture until easy to handle (about 1 hour). Shape mixture into 15 balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Sugar Free Lemon No Bake Cheesecake Bars
Cheesecake is straight-up decadent—and these no-bake cheesecake bars from My Sugar Free Kitchen serve up all the indulgence of cheesecake with none of the sugar.
Ingredients:
Base
- ½ cup pitted Medjool dates - approx. 9 at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup ground coconut
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- Pinch of salt
Coconut Lemon Filling
- 2 blocks of light cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sweetener that measures like sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
Optional
- 1 tablespoon ground coconut
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions:
Base
- Dry roast the walnuts on a baking tray in the oven for 7 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Add base ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blitz for a few minutes until a fine crumb forms.
- Line a loaf pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Press crumbs firmly into the base of dish. Use the heel of the palm to press firmly into all corners of the dish.
- Put base in fridge for 30 minutes.
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- Add cream cheese to food processor and blitz for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients for the filling and blitz for another minute to combine.
- Spoon cheesecake filling onto base, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle coconut and lemon zest on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 6 hours minimum.
- Slice into 12 pieces with a clean sharp knife. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days.
Caramelized Spiced Pears
Pears offer a healthy dose of fiber and a delicate texture that melds perfectly with a touch of spice in this recipe for Caramelized Spiced Pears from Eating Well.
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe but firm pears (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Toss pears with lemon juice in a medium bowl. Melt butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in the pears. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring once halfway through, for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a small bowl. After 10 minutes, stir the sugar mixture into the pears. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the pears are tender and glazed, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the type and firmness of the pears. Serve warm.
Ready to boost your health by ramping down your sugar intake? We're here to help.
No matter what your motivation for reducing your sugar consumption, you're making a smart move for your health. Choosing low-sugar desserts, substituting natural, low-calorie sweeteners for sugar, and leaning on fruits to provide a kick of sweetness can all have a positive effect on your health.
At Evidation, our app works to help you make the most of the health data that you're already tracking. With your permission, we use your health data to provide you with personalized, content-based insights that give you the tips and tricks you need to keep moving your health forward. Download the Evidation app, learn more, and get started today.
