Dessert for your Health

It seems like everyone has been ganging up on dessert lately.  They’re bad for your body.  They’re high in fat.  They don’t have any nutritional content.  And that’s true if what you’re eating for dessert it chocolate cake and fudge brownie ice cream.  Everyone knows that.  What I’ve discovered is that dessert can be more that cake, ice cream, and cookies.  Of course, I do enjoy some fudge brownie ice cream on occasion, but I’ve also found that most of the time I can settle for a lot less calories and much more nutrition to satisfy my sweet cravings.  The most important part of my dessert conversion was simply a habit change.  Instead of reaching for the Chunky Monkey as soon as dinner was over, I had to take a bit more time to think about what I really wanted.  Not what I thought I wanted. 

            The first and most important thing to do when picking a dessert is to think about how hungry you are.  Do you really want the double scoop ice cream?  Or will a single scoop satisfy your need?  Next, think about all of your options, not just the obvious ones.  Clearly you could have a cookie.  But what about dried fruit?  Popsicles? (Edy’s  coconut pops are my favorite.)  How about Stonyfield chocolate yogurt for a taste of organic dairy?  Maybe canned pineapple would suit you. Or, if you can’t live with out ice cream, try topping it off with some delicious (and filling) banana slices, walnuts, strawberries, frozen blueberries, or even a handful of granola.  Oftentimes I am satisfied with a small bowl of honey nut cheerios or frosted flakes when I’m craving a new flavor in my mouth after eating dinner.  This might sound absurd, but sometimes, an orange or an apple might be sweet enough.  If you’re craving something in the middle of the day, try some chocolate Graham Crackers instead of a chocolate bar.  Once you find some favorites, they will be easy replacements to some of your blacklisted items with some more nutritious alternatives.    

            Now that I’m in the habit of thinking twice, I find that I don’t really ever feel like having a gigantic piece of cake or a double scoop of ice cream.  Suddenly, just enough feels like enough.