8 Dietitian-Approved Treats to Curb Your Sweet Tooth
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
We all have a pesky sweet tooth that comes knocking from time to time. Even with the purest of intentions to make healthy choices, without a backup plan, you’re setting yourself up to answer the familiar call of chocolate chip cookies in the nearby pantry.
Willpower isn’t enough! If you want to succeed on your journey to optimal health, you must set up your environment for success.
To curb your sweet tooth, stock your pantry with a few of these Fx-approved treats from Heinen’s.
Nut Roll on a Spoon
A tablespoon of Heinen’s fresh ground walnut butter drizzled with a teaspoon of raw honey and a dash of ground cinnamon tastes just like my mom’s homemade Christmas nut roll. Yum!
Evolved Chocolate Bars
Chocolate: It’s food, not candy. This is the tagline for Evolved, an organic chocolate made without dairy, soy and cane sugar. They use monk fruit extract—a zero-sugar sweetener derived from a small, round fruit native to southern China. My favorite flavor is Brownie Batter. I divide the bar into eight squares, store them in a sealed container in the pantry and enjoy a square or two after dinner!
Siete Cookies
These grain-free, gluten-free cookies have everything you need to quiet your inner cookie monster. With no more than eight grams of added sugar per serving, Siete uses upgraded ingredients, like coconut sugar, coconut oil, avocado oil and apple cider vinegar. Keep in mind, a serving is 5 cookies, not the whole bag! Take your pick from Mexican Wedding (my favorite), Mexican Chocolate or Mexican Shortbread.
Banana Nut Butter Cakes
Full of crunchy whole grain goodness and the perfect vehicle for a smear of your favorite nut butter is Lundberg brown rice thin stackers! Top each cake with a sliced banana “coin” for a sweet treat you can feel good about.
Quinn Vermont Maple Kettle Corn
If you like popcorn, you’ll love this not-too-sweet take on traditional kettle corn. With just a touch of maple sugar and sea salt, Quinn Vermont maple kettle corn qualifies as low sodium and low sugar. Just remember, each bag contains three servings!
Cashew Butter-Stuffed Date
I’m convinced Mother Nature created dates as a remedy for our sweet tooth. Chewy like caramel, but with no added sugar, it’s almost hard to believe this “earth candy” is good for you! Stuff one pitted Caramel Natural Medjool date (in the Produce Department) with a teaspoon of Heinen’s fresh ground cashew butter and you’ll swear you’re in heaven.
Raw Rev Glo Mixed Nuts, Caramel and Sea Salt Bar
This nutrition bar is proof that healthy eating can taste good! It has only five grams of added sugar, but tastes much sweeter. Your sweet tooth just met its match!
Olipop Prebiotic Soda
Have a taste for soda? Try Olipop, a deliciously fizzy tonic that combines the benefits of prebiotics, plant fiber and botanicals to support your microbiome and benefit your digestive health. One can of Olipop offers 9 grams of fiber and only 2-5 grams of added sugar. Compare that to 39 grams of sugar in your average can of soda! Must be refrigerated.
The Power of Sour
Did you know that sour foods have the power to stop sugar cravings in their tracks? That’s right! The next time you have a raging sweet tooth that just won’t let up, try one of these antidotes to regain control in minutes:
- Eat a spoonful of fermented veggies, like Cleveland Kitchen sauerkraut or Wake Robin kimchi.
- Sip on an 8 oz. mug of hot water mixed with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. I like Perricone Farms in the Produce Department or Lakewood Organic pure lemon in the juice aisle.
- Enjoy a bottle of GT’s Gingerade kombucha.
- Peel a grapefruit and eat a few segments.
- Chomp on a few kumquats, including the peel!
- Defrost a handful of Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries for a snack.
Key Takeaway
Give your willpower a break and stock your kitchen with a few alternative sweet treats from the list above. Then add another layer of sugar-busting power with a little bit of sour!
