I’m not talking about a square of dark chocolate or piece of fruit either.
Here’s why I think it’s possible for you to eat dessert too.
Pictured recipe:Mug Brownie
I love cookies.
Ice cream.Peanut butter and chocolatemight be the best flavor pairings in the world, IMO.
Let me say it again-I’m a registered dietitian and I eat dessert every day.
I also think it’s perfectly healthy.
Dessert tastes good, I really enjoy it and once I eat it-it’s not a big deal.
There is no guilt, no shame, no banning brownies forever after I’ve eaten half a pan.
While too much added sugar isn’t healthy, stressing about dessert isn’t good for you either.
Also, life’s too short and dessert tastes delicious.
Here’s how I do it and you might too.
And adults aren’t that much different.Restricting food makes it more desirable.
And yes,dark chocolate has some health benefits-but that’s not really why we eat it.
We eat it because it tastes good.
If you eat a variety of foods throughout the day, it’s perfectly healthy to have some dessert.
It’s delicious and banning it from your diet makes it more irresistible.
They label foods as good and bad.
A brownie isn’t “bad” and an apple isn’t “good.”
They both satisfy you in different ways and both can absolutely be part of a healthy diet.
And, if you eat a brownie,youaren’t “bad.”
I think almost everyone agrees that a chocolate chip cookie is tasty.
Have one (or two or three or four-it happens), enjoy it and move on.
What about added sugar?
It’s true that most Americans eat more than the recommended amount of added sugar.
TheDietary Guidelinesrecommend getting no more than 10 percent of your calories from added sugar.
Our mug brownie has 13 grams of added sugar, well within the limits.
People with diabetes may need to be more mindful of their sugar and carbohydrate intake.
But that doesn’t mean dessert has to be off-limits.
Dessert every day may feel radical, or it may be very similar to how you eat now.
Food is more than nutrients.
It’s how we celebrate holidays and birthdays.
It’s just one day of many and won’t destroy all your healthy habits.
