Can desserts be healthy? Can you make healthy desserts? What are the healthiest desserts?
If you're wondering what a healthy dessert is for weight loss, we've got your back. Dessert should be an intentional way to indulge, and utilizing portion sizes and nutrient-rich ingredients can help you use your sweet tooth to your advantage. You can have your cake and eat it, too!
Read on for more information on healthy dessert recipes, including our favorite recipes to add CBD to.
Can Desserts Be Healthy?
There are two main tips for having a healthy dessert:
- Balancing portion sizes
- Adding nutrients in where you can
When balancing portion sizes, mindful eating comes into play. Many people think of having less as a form of restriction. However, it can actually encourage an attitude of abundance.
Less can be more when you practice mindful eating. Put away distractions, savor your food, and listen to your body's hunger cues. You'll often find that the average portion size is plenty for you to feel full.
Another tip is to add nutrients where you can to the cooking process. Instead of processed sugars, added sugars, high levels of sodium, high saturated fat, or artificial ingredients, try adding more natural sweeteners, for instance.
Often, these ingredients can be swift substitutes for ingredients you usually use. For example, cacao nibs can be used in the place of chocolate chips for a healthy boost of nutrients.
What Are Healthy Desserts To Eat?
A common problem people experience with desserts is constant cravings. This can be due to the lack of fiber, protein, and healthy fats in your dessert.
Fiber, protein, and healthy fats are nutrients that make the body feel full. Less healthy ingredients can do this, too, but the problem with that is the lack of nutrients. The body feels full, but there aren't enough nutrients to actually nourish the body.
Something as simple as throwing a ¼ cup of nuts into a batch of brownies can make a big difference! Try using ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils to elevate the nutritional value of your desserts. Don't forget that CBD oils/tinctures come in carrier oils and can add nutritional value to desserts, too!
How To Make Healthy Desserts
Desserts can be made both healthy and delicious! You can also easily add CBD to many cold desserts. There are a few conditions and ingredients to look out for:
- Heat- CBD evaporates when heated, causing the compounds (i.e. terpenes, flavonoids, cannabinoids) to break down. Studies have shown that CBD can be reduced by as much as half when heated, making it less available for the body to use.
- Time- Over time, CBD can degrade and become less potent.
- Exposure- Exposure to acid or basic (alkaline) conditions can also degrade CBD. Along with changes in pH, exposure to oxidation (oxygen or air)
In other words, the more CBD is tampered with, the more likely it is to degrade. It's best to add CBD oil to cold foods or cooled desserts. It boils between 320 and 356 degrees, but can retain many nutritional benefits — even when baked or cooked.
Healthy Desserts Recipes (Can Be CBD-Infused)
When cooking with CBD, avoid heat and acidic ingredients like vinegar or citric acid. There are many ways to do this, including the following tasty options.
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Sugar Cookies
Most sugar cookies are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Our recipe has only ½ cup of granulated sugar for the entire recipe. The icing can also be infused with CBD and utilizes plant based, dairy-free spread in place of butter.
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Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
These energy bites go above and beyond when it comes to nutrition. Using maple syrup as the sweetener, there are no added sugars in this recipe. Plus, it includes peanut butter, oats, and chia seeds to make it a fiber-fueled, protein-packed dessert or snack.
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Raw Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Squares
Cheesecake squares are perfect, creamy dessert bites. Make them CBD-infused and they'll be even better! These squares are full of ingredients with fiber and healthy fats, such as rolled oats, pecans, and cashews.
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Caramel Milkshake
Not a drop of artificial sweetener goes into this delicious milkshake. Pro tip: use extra ripe bananas to elevate the sweetness! Peanut butter and cashew milk help to make this milkshake filling, while maple syrup and dates add some natural sugars.
In Summary On Sweet, Healthy Treats
Finding a healthy dessert can seem like a challenge. However, by increasing your knowledge on how to utilize ingredients, you can create nutrient-rich, CBD-infused desserts that keep you feeling full and fueled. Check back soon for more delicious dessert recipes!
References
Eichler M, Spinedi L, Unfer-Grauwiler S, Bodmer M, Surber C, et al. Heat exposure of Cannabis sativa extracts affects the pharmacokinetic and metabolic profile in healthy male subjects. Planta Med. 2021;78(7):686-91. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1298334.
Holland K. Does CBD Lose Its Potency in Food? Myrecipes.com. Published July 8, 2019.
