Health Substitutes for Sweet Treats

Written by Brooke West
Part of National Nutrition Month 2013

I love all desserts just as much as the next person. Part of choosing to live a healthier lifestyle for me meant finding new, creative ways to treat myself to sweets without indulging in refined sugar. So I must be suggesting Splenda or other artificial sweeteners as the answer? Absolutely not! Artificial sweeteners are chemically altered sugar or herb compounds that are highly processed and have been linked to causing a variety of health issues, including cancer. So my solution to this issue is fruit puree!  Next time you are baking and the recipe calls for sugar, replace it with fruit puree instead. Unsweetened applesauce, ripe banana puree, pumpkin puree and ripe peach puree are just a few ideas to replace sugar. When you are baking with fruit purees be sure to substitute for the exact amount. The consistency of the baked goods will be more moist and denser. If you are not a fan of baking, consider swapping candy for fruit drizzled in honey when your next sweet tooth craving kicks in. My sugar-craving trigger is ice cream. However, with such high fat and sugar content I was eager to create a healthy fix that is simple to make.

Picture by Brooke West

Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 ripe bananas 

¼ cup of almond butter or peanut butter

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of honey

Directions:

Picture by Brooke West

Cut bananas into slices for easier blending and throw into blender. Measure out all other ingredients and put into blender. Puree all the ingredients together. Be patient, you may have to stop and stir the mixture a few times to make a smooth consistency. Pour the puree into a bowl and stick into the freezer for one hour, or until frozen to desired consistency. This recipe serves four. Remove, scoop and enjoy! 

References

Mayo Clinic. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes. (2012, October 9). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Powell-Smith, M. (2011, August 7). Fruit puree as a sugar substitute in baked goods. Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/510415-fruit-puree-as-a-sugar-substitute-in-baked-goods/#ixzz2LauTm9QL

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