The Pearls of Life:
101 Simple Ways to Health and Happiness
Enjoy Smart Sweets and Snacks
Many people think
of healthy nutrition as a no-fun diet. This could not be further from
the truth. As you can see from previous recommendations, eating healthy
can be fun. The addition of exotic foods, varied styles, and
preparations from different cultures also adds to the joy of eating. And
you don’t even have to sacrifice your sweet tooth.
We have been
living in a society of such abundance that we tend to forget that most
people throughout history have struggled to keep their plates full. For
survival, it was natural for our ancestors to gravitate toward sweets,
abounding in nature as starchy foods and fruits. It is only recently, in
more affluent societies, that too many sweets have become a problem.
The way we prepare
sweets—refining them from whole plants to pure sugar and fine starch,
ridding thousands of healthful phytochemicals, and then adding
chemically modified trans fats—has made many modern sweets harmful to
our health, rather than maintaining and promoting it.
Sweets themselves
are not evil. What matters are the kinds of sweets, how they are
prepared, and the amount we eat.
- Eat more whole
foods that are naturally sweet, including fresh and dried fruits,
starchy foods such as yams and sweet potatoes, etc.
- Favor baked
goods that use whole grains rather than refined grains. Avoid baked
goods that use processed vegetable oils or trans fats.
- Satisfy your
sweet tooth with a small portion of your favorite sweet. Choose a few
favorite desserts and decide how often to eat them in moderation.
- Split a dessert
with friends or family.
- Choose
smaller portions at ice cream or frozen yogurt shops.
- Munch on nuts
and dried fruit.
- Avoid sugary drinks in order to allow yourself more of other sweets.
- Favor sugar-free version of sweets:
Sugar
substitutes such as Splenda have added an extra dimension to our
enjoyment of baked sweets. Using a blend of sugar and Splenda preserves
the texture and moisture in baking, helping to satisfy your sweet tooth,
while simultaneously helping you reduce the refined sugar in your diet.
- Do not leave
snacks and sweets in plain sight.
- Use single-serve
packs. Or put smaller servings of snacks and sweets in sandwich bags.