A guide to preparing healthy desserts

When trying to maintain a low fat diet, it can be very difficult to think of healthy desserts to go with the rest of a meal. The first response can be that of cutting desserts out completely, but this is not necessary if you know exactly what is bad for you and what is fine to eat in moderation. Find out more about healthy sweets in this article.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a very popular sweet treat for many people, and it is often one of the first things that people cut out when they make an effort to eat more healthily. This isn't necessary however, as dark chocolate in particular is high in antioxidants. The best option is to pick chocolate which is 70% cocoa solids (or higher) and eat in moderation. When considering chocolate in a dessert, try and choose something which doesn't have a lot of sugar in it. A chocolate pudding which has been sweetened with a little honey is ideal. Any recipe with dark chocolate in is generally designed to be fairly bitter and therefore, won't have a lot of sugar in.

Fruit

There are so many types of fruit that can be made into literally hundreds of versatile and delicious desserts. It can be as simple as a piece of fruit after dinner, a selection of fruits blitzed into a smoothie, or even frozen berries with a little dark chocolate sauce drizzled over the top. More easy desserts which you can prepare include fruity ice lollies, which can be made by freezing 100% fruit juice, or fresh fruit cut up with natural yoghurt and a little honey spooned over the top.

Home baking

There is no better way to enjoy healthy baking than by doing it yourself and it is also better value than buying items ready-made. There are plenty of recipes for healthy cakes and cookies which all make fantastic and satisfying dessert ideas. A simple oatmeal cookie is a very healthy option and can be made more interesting with a handful of dark chocolate drops. There are also many baked desserts which include fruits and vegetables, from traditional pies and cobblers to more unusual recipes such as beetroot brownies and sweet courgette bread.

Cheesecake

Cheesecakes can also be light desserts and is not difficult to prepare. Substituting full-fat cream cheese for the low-fat version makes a huge difference in the nutritional content of the recipe and turns what is otherwise a fairly naughty choice into a low fat dessert. A slice of cheesecake with a generous portion of fruit on the side makes a balanced dessert.