Healthy Desserts

Is there such a thing as a good tasting healthy dessert? Or is that just a myth? If you are dieting and exercising, and you think of the idea of a healthy dessert, do you immediately think of yucky oat cakes that will never satisfy your dessert craving? You might think: "Yuck! Oat cakes! Gimme a snickers any day instead!" 

I can understand that feeling, as I have been there many times before. It is true, there are plenty of yucky and unsatisfying oat cakes around! However, there are other healthy alternatives you may not know about, and, in addition to these healthy alternatives, what is equally important to realize is that there is an alternative mental attitude you can develop to actually make healthy desserts more fulfilling.

But first off, let us look at some of the alternatives: Did you know that partially milled rice could create a wonderful sweetener? It can be turned into a syrup which they call, appropriately enough: rice syrup. Rice syrup is great and great for you. It goes well on waffles or toast or mixed with yogurt. Frozen desserts made from milled rice are also perfect alternatives to ice cream.  Look for them next to the Ben and Jerry's. Did you know that there is a good tasting alternative to chocolate? It is called carob. Carob is a very good tasting alternative to chocolate, and it comes in several varieties. Stevia extract is another good-for-you sweetener that many people add to their coffee.

For anyone who is dieting and exercising, there really is a whole world of healthy, good-tasting deserts out there you may not be aware of. Go to your local healthfood store and ask someone there.

Now, once you know the healthy alternatives are out there, you have to cultivate the right attitude toward them. "Yuck! Oat cakes!" is NOT the right attitude. I am not suggesting you pretend to like something that you do not like. I am just saying that there is a reason you do not like it. It is not just physical. It is emotional.

If you are normal, you are looking for "sweetness" in the metaphorical sense of the word. You are looking for something to fill the void. You are looking for the feeling of 'sweet" that sugar seems to give you. It is a high. That is ok, most everyone else is looking for a similar high also, and not just those focused on dieting and exercise.  We all want the light headed euphoria that can come from eating unhealthy desserts.

You can get it from the alternative desserts, if you are patient enough to practice giving it to yourself. Desserts do not really give you the sweet feeling. You do. If you are eating a so-called unhealthy dessert, and it "makes" you feel better, take a closer look. Your attitude, your need for it made you feel better.

With practice, you can capture that attitude and transfer onto the alternative sweeteners. This makes diets and exercise much easier. Eventually, the Oatcakes may even become more appealing.  Give it a try!