Why do you want sweets and how to replace sugar? Useful Alternatives

The harm of sugar consumed in large quantities has been known for a long time. Doctors insist that this product is unnecessary in our diet and ask us to replace it with healthier alternatives. It is recommended to avoid sweets first of all if you care about your figure and lose extra pounds, want to improve your skin condition, have diabetes or have allergies. However, this will not hurt those who do not fit into any of the categories. Consumption of white sugar increases blood pressure and contributes to heart disease and strokes.

It is not surprising that as soon as we are forced to remove foods with a high concentration of sugar from the menu, the body begins to stubbornly resist. Moreover, it seems that thoughts about this product become even more intrusive than before, when we allowed ourselves to eat it. There are a number of reasons why the need for sweets becomes overwhelming.

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Ice cream cup

Creamy ice cream contains protein, which makes it considered a healthy food. Replace confectionery or sweets with 70 grams of this product, just choose a sweet that does not contain dyes - it will bring pleasure and help reduce glucose consumption. The best option is homemade ice cream. You can make it anything, even berry.

Cook at home

The best option to enjoy an original and healthy dessert without additives or preservatives is to prepare the delicacy yourself. In addition, there is an opinion that during cooking, when you inhale the aroma of food, the body creates the illusion of being full, and therefore your appetite decreases slightly.

If you want to make baked goods, but don’t have chocolate on hand, you can replace it with the following ingredients:

• instead of 50 grams of chocolate, take 6 tablespoons of cocoa;
• mix cocoa powder and butter in a 3:1 ratio;
• Mix a tablespoon of sugar, margarine and water with 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

To make white chocolate, you need to mix 100 grams of milk powder and powdered sugar, pour the ingredients into cocoa butter melted in a water bath, add vanilla and pour into silicone molds. After the mass has cooled, it can be placed in the refrigerator. In an hour, the dessert will be ready to eat.

Fruits

They contain natural fructose - an incredibly healthy substance. In addition, the fiber contained in the structure of the fruit inhibits the absorption of sugar. However, this is not a reason to abuse them by eating kilograms. Everything should be in moderation: a few fruits are a great substitute for a piece of cake for dessert. Keep in mind that grapes are considered the most high-calorie, and pears or apples are the most dietary. You can make your own nutritious sweet salads, yogurts, smoothies, add pieces of fruit to cottage cheese or porridge.

Low-calorie homemade baked goods

Low-calorie baked goods can replace sweets on a diet without harming your figure. A properly selected food set will help replace sweets and allow the body to receive the necessary nutrients.

Cookie

During the diet, you can eat biscuits made from bran. It can easily replace your usual sweets and satisfy your hunger.

Pudding

You can replace sweets on your diet with low-calorie pudding made from zucchini.

Baked apples

During a diet, it is useful to replace sweet dishes with baked apples, which have high taste and low calorie content.

Advice! It is best to use firm, sour varieties of apples.

Cheesecake

If you are tired of regular cottage cheese while on a diet, then you should make a diet cheesecake that will delight you with a delicious taste and will not add extra pounds to your figure. The recipe is suitable for daily preparation and will help replace candy. If the apples are sweet, then sugar can be excluded from the composition.

Dried fruits

Dried fruit slices are usually included in the diet menu because they contain 200...300 calories per 100 g. They also contain the necessary sugar and vitamins, which makes this product indispensable for those with a sweet tooth. Some dried fruits should be consumed during snacks or added to cottage cheese, sweet salads, kefir, healthy cereals and natural yogurt.

At the same time, dates, raisins, prunes and dried apricots are considered the most suitable for weight loss. They are a real treasure for those who want something tasty, but do not want to harm the body. On the contrary, such a dessert will only provide benefits: saturation with minerals, improvement in the condition of the skin, and a beneficial effect on digestion.

What should you give up?

All types of refined sugar: honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, cane sugar, and all products that contain sugar. You should avoid sugar just like diabetics, and they understand that it is deadly for them. Only a few labels refer to sugar as sugar. You should know the various names under which it can be hidden:

• sucrose;
• fructose;
• maltose;
• lactose;
• glycogen;
• glucose;
• mannitol;
• sorbitol;
• galactose;
• monosaccharide;
• polysaccharide.

Generally, any substance whose name ends in “-ose” or has the root “saccharide” is sugar. Artificial sweeteners should also be eliminated. These substances are, at best, of questionable value to the body and immune system, and also support sugar cravings.

Pastille, marmalade, marshmallow

100 grams of marshmallows is only about 300 kilocalories. At the same time, marshmallows and marshmallows are incredibly sweet products, so even the most ardent fans of sugar treats will find it difficult to eat as much as 100 grams of such products at once. Here lies a huge plus, because in this situation it will be very easy to satisfy your craving for desserts. The only caveat: it is not recommended to choose products with a chocolate shell.

Interestingly, dietary marmalade, marshmallows and marshmallows should be low-fat. For example, real classic marshmallows are actually made from only 4 natural ingredients. And its “chewable” analogue contains completely different components. But in any case, the product contains pectin, which has a positive effect on the condition of the nail plates and hair.

Let's sum it up

The first advice for those who want to get rid of uncontrollable cravings for sweets is to switch to healthy foods first. Their list is very impressive, everyone will find something they like.

Adjusting your diet is the next step to getting rid of your addiction to sweets. You need to consume proteins, long-lasting carbohydrates, which give a long-lasting feeling of fullness and a lot of energy. When a person is full, he craves less for sweets.

Once you learn how to cook sweet desserts at home, you will spend calories on cooking and use harmless ingredients. It is better to cook food in small portions.

When purchasing a cake or cookies, it is good for your health to read the ingredients carefully and for a long time. Numerous flavorings and substitutes for natural ingredients will discourage cravings for sweets and cause serious doubts about the desire to eat the product.

If your weight is constantly increasing, and you have an uncontrollable craving for sweets, you need to consult a nutritionist. Most people have enough will and common sense to control their diet and consume sweet desserts for their intended purpose - on special occasions, without turning them into the main component of the daily menu.

Jams and preserves

Naturally, not all jam is suitable here, but only with a minimum percentage of sugar and always homemade. Store-bought canned food is categorically not welcome: they have unclear labels, many extraneous additives and impurities that pose a health hazard.

Homemade jams are a great alternative to scones and chocolate bars. Using them, you can season natural yoghurts and cottage cheese. And just tea with jam is incredibly tasty and healthy, and it also sets you up for a relaxing holiday.

How can you replace these high-calorie foods:

as an alternative, you can use low-fat natural sour cream, kefir or unsweetened yogurt;

It is better not to buy sauces and dressings in the store, but to prepare them yourself using natural olive oil, mustard seeds, beans, and avocado;

As a complement to bread or toast, it is better to use soft varieties of cheese or cottage cheese.

It is worth focusing on the method of preparing dishes. Limit anything pan-fried or deep-fried as much as possible. Only raw, boiled or baked food can be considered healthy. The main alternative to frying is cooking in the oven or in a steamer. If you still cook, for example, an omelet in a frying pan, then use butter or olive oil rather than refined sunflower oil during frying. And under no circumstances overcook the dish.

Honey

Perhaps it is rightfully considered the main sugar substitute, because sweet dishes prepared with it do not lose their pleasant taste. Moreover, this product is not only tasty, but also healing: it brings cheerfulness, promotes digestion, and preserves youth. Just one teaspoon of the product can briefly save you from cravings for desserts, if you do not have a pronounced allergy. You can also drink tea with honey: it must be warm, not hot, since in boiling water, unfortunately, it loses its beneficial characteristics.

Lists

Allowed dietary sweets

This list includes the most natural products with a minimum amount of flavors and dyes, some of the lowest calorie in their niche and healthy.

What sweets can you eat while losing weight:

• dried fruits: raisins, dried apricots, apricots, dates, figs, prunes;
• candied fruits: pineapples, oranges, tangerines, apples boiled in sweet syrup;
• honey
• marmalade;
• marshmallow;
• halva;
• chocolate
• jam;
• marshmallows;
• Kozinaki.

In addition, you can now find a wide range of dietary sweets in hypermarkets and online stores, ranging from sweets to jams and confiture. They are made on the basis of natural sweeteners - stevia and pectin. The rules for their use and recommended dosages for weight loss are indicated on the packages. They are on the list of permitted ones.

Prohibited

This list includes products that have gone through several stages of production processing. They contain a large amount of carcinogens, flavors, dyes, stabilizers and trans fats. They have a high calorie content. They disrupt the functioning of various body systems (primarily the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal tract).

What sweets should you not eat when losing weight?

• milk chocolate;
• rolls, muffins;
• candies;
• cookie;
• puddings;
• yoghurts with fruit filling;
• cakes, pastries, donuts;
• ice cream;
• baked muesli;
• sugar (i.e. sweet tea and coffee are also not allowed);
• carbonated and energy drinks, packaged store juices.

Substitutes

To ensure that mental activity does not suffer when giving up sweets and to minimize the risk of a breakdown, you can replace it with natural products containing plant fructose. They are low-calorie and healthy.

Dried fruits can be an excellent alternative to sweets

How to replace sweets and flour:

• fruits with high sugar content: bananas, grapes, persimmons;
• sweet berries: strawberries, raspberries, cherries;
• sweeteners: stevia, xylitol, fructose, sorbitol, sucralose;
• cane sugar, agave or Jerusalem artichoke syrup;
• fresh muesli
• cereal bars;
• natural yogurt;
• freshly squeezed juices.

To the delight of all those with a sweet tooth, it is not at all necessary to give up your favorite foods when losing weight. The list of those that are allowed will certainly inspire and delight many. However, it is worth remembering that the healthiest and most natural sweets in large quantities and if consumed incorrectly will harm both your figure and your health. Therefore, in order not to be disappointed, first read the rules for including them in your diet.

Nuts

The most ordinary nuts can sometimes replace a full-fledged dessert. Although they do not have a sugary taste, they still satisfy hunger perfectly. This delicacy is famous for its composition, so it is both satisfying and healthy.

And a few more tips

1. Don't eat foods with artificial sweeteners - they are designed to create a huge appetite for sweets.
2. Drink green tea with mint and honey in the afternoon between meals.
3. Take a multivitamin course to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
4. Don't neglect desserts first thing in the morning, because a sweet breakfast will help curb your daytime cravings for candy and baked goods. For example, even banal oatmeal with honey and dried fruits will do.
5. Maintain proper glucose levels at all times: eat small, frequent snacks.
6. Consume protein foods - they create a pleasant feeling of fullness.

Why do you want sweets?

Most people have a craving for sweets, but not everyone turns it into a phobia. Sweets improve your mood, give you joy and a feeling of pleasure. It is the tradition of many nations to end a meal with a delicious dessert for tea, which crowns a celebration or a simple lunch.

Eating sweets is perceived as a pleasure, which is why you constantly want them. Attempts to deny oneself joy are difficult for a person, because the body develops a habit akin to nicotine or drug addiction.

As soon as you exclude sweets from your diet, you feel an irresistible desire to eat a fragrant bun or candy. The body fiercely resists, deprived of its usual sugar supply, demanding the return of pleasure. For some people, cravings for sweets become a serious problem and poison their lives.

Nutrition experts have been able to identify the main reasons for the pathological craving for sugar in some people.

Psychological factors

“Stress eating” is a term widely used in nutrition. When you eat something tasty (sweet), endorphins are produced - pleasure hormones. They also help reduce anxiety and even reduce pain.

By eating sweet desserts, many people improve their mood, become calmer and more confident. This way to improve well-being and tone up is typical for lonely, depressed, and timid people.

Many people abuse sweets simply out of boredom and the inability to entertain themselves or find something to do. Psychologists note that people who live a busy life, travel a lot, and have hobbies are less likely to suffer from sugar addiction.

Those who are deprived of attention, communication, and suffer from a lack of love often suffer from an addiction to sweets. To enjoy yourself means to make yourself happier.

Many people have formed the habit since childhood of receiving candy as a reward for good grades, a washed floor, and a meal eaten without whims. As adults, people decide for themselves when to reward themselves with sweets and do it all the time.

Physiological reasons

Sometimes the abuse of sweets is dictated by the state of the body. Here is a list of the most common causes of sweet addiction:

• genetic predisposition, parents often pass on food preferences to their children;
• hormonal disorders - the presence of endocrine pathologies;
• decreased blood glucose (due to illness or due to diets, poor nutrition);
• chronic fatigue, insomnia;
• deficiency of micro- and macroelements (magnesium, chromium), amino acids.

Expert opinion

Karnaukh Ekaterina Vladimirovna

Graduated from the National University of Shipbuilding, majoring in Enterprise Economics

You need to find out the presence of pathologies or an incorrect diet by visiting a nutritionist, endocrinologist or other specialized specialist. By balancing the menu, you can overcome cravings for sweets and restore body functions.

To make it easier to cope with the sweet habit, nutritionists recommend sleep (7-9 hours), exercise, and taking vitamins and microelements.

The dangers of uncontrolled consumption of sweets and how to cope with it

Extra pounds are not the only consequence of an excessive love of sweets. The skin loses turgor, becomes loose, and signs of cellulite appear. More dangerous consequences of overeating sweets can be hypertension, hormonal imbalance and infertility, and digestive problems.

To eliminate the physiological causes of cravings for sweets, you need to balance your diet and provide the body with useful substances. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats should be consumed at the recommended levels for age, gender, and workload.

Energy balls

Energy balls are typically made with healthy ingredients that provide the body with enough fiber, protein and healthy fats to keep you feeling full (,).

Oats, nut butters, flax seeds and dried fruits are the most common ingredients. However, you can add almost anything to them, from protein powder to chocolate chips.

However, they contain a lot of calories, so try to limit yourself to one or two scoops at a time.

Energy balls recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (70 grams) raw almonds
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) raw walnuts
• 1 cup (75 grams) raisins
• 3 pitted dates
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (95 grams) shredded coconut

Management:

Finely chop the almonds and walnuts in a food processor, then add the remaining ingredients - except the coconut - and blend until sticky.

Form into 1-inch balls with your hands, then roll them in shredded coconut until completely coated.

Recommendations

Who can't?

Any nutritionist will tell you that sweets are strictly prohibited for those diagnosed with obesity, starting from degree II. They can be included in the diet only for those who are overweight and class I obese. Therefore, the first step is to recalculate your BMI again (you can take the formula) and, just in case, consult a specialist.

Does eating sweets depend on diet?

Your permission to eat sweets will depend on which weight loss system you choose. If you are on a diet rich in carbohydrates (rice, cereals or bran, buckwheat, fruit), you should not use foods high in sugar for weight loss. This will prevent you from reducing your daily caloric intake and make it difficult for your body to release the energy it needs. But protein and low-calorie fasts will allow you to enjoy your favorite foods.

When is the best time to eat?

Sweets allowed during weight loss are recommended to be eaten in the first half of the day - for breakfast and lunch. Only in this case will they work as fuel for the body, supplying it with the necessary energy for the whole day. It is better not to touch them after lunch, and especially at night: then they are difficult to process and go to form fat depots on problem parts of the body.

How much can you eat?

The extent to which you can indulge in sweets while losing weight depends on several factors:

• daily caloric intake
• the number of kilograms you need to get rid of;
• the number of calories you burn during the day.

Examples:

1. The daily calorie intake is 1,200 kcal. For breakfast you ate 100 g of halva - that’s 519 kcal. Only 681 kcal left for lunch, dinner, afternoon snack and dinner. Will you be able to get enough of them so as not to starve during the day?
2. If the goal is to lose 20 kg, all you can have from sweets is 1 tsp. honey. But if you need to adjust your body volume by 4-5 kg, you can also enjoy marshmallows and gummies.
3. If weight loss occurs only through diet, the amount of sweets is limited to a minimum. If you also play sports, you can afford a little more.

What to eat with?

It is difficult to eat sweets without drinking anything. Therefore, it is usually consumed with tea. However, gastroenterologists warn that this should not be done - it is harmful to the stomach. So, if possible, try to follow the advice of experts.

Calorie table

To lose weight, you will have to choose not only the most healthy, but also the lowest-calorie sweets. For comparison, some of them are shown in the table:

When working with this table, do not forget that you need to choose not only low-calorie, but above all healthy sweets. For example, 100 g of popsicle contains only 270 kcal, but it also contains a lot of palm oil. And dark chocolate contains as much as 546 kcal, but there are even diets based on it that have a beneficial effect on the body. Consider both of these factors.