Cut Down on Sugar with These Healthy Summer Desserts
Whether it's a tasty ice cream cone, homemade apple pie, or a cold glass of sweetened iced tea, sugar is everywhere in the summer months. It is also in foods we commonly don't think of as sweet, such as barbecue sauce, baked beans, salad dressing, and ketchup, to name a few. Excess consumption of refined, processed sugar increases our risk type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, heart disease, and more. Sugar has no nutritional value. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises limiting added sugars to six teaspoons daily for women and nine teaspoons for men. However, the average American consumes about three times that amount. There are many tasty options if you are trying to reduce sugar and maintain a healthy weight. Here are some healthier desserts that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
More Health Tips
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Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is an easy way to stay hydrated and enjoy sweet summer produce. Delicious options include watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, apples, pineapples, oranges, and grapes! - 2
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit may not be a conventional choice for a dessert, but they are a great substitute for a potato chip, hard pretzel, Dorito, or any kind of crunchy snack that is easy to eat nonstop. They fix a quick chip craving with the same crunch and a tastier, sweeter flavor! Try a dried kiwi! Just be sure not to overdo it since it can be high in calories.
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Homemade Popsicle
Something you could throw together for dessert is a homemade popsicle! Blend your favorite fruit such as a mango, pineapple, or even strawberry, add some honey to the mix, put a stick in there, pop that baby in the freezer overnight and try one with your breakfast! You'll need one with every meal!
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Homemade Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt has gotten very popular in the last decade or so, and it can be healthier with the fact that it tends to run lower in fats and calories than regular ice cream. This is not always the case though, where sometimes the frozen yogurt has more sugar than regular ice cream. Typically, yogurt is healthier, but tread lightly.
