Do you love snacking and find it hard to resist a piece of chocolate or gummy bears, but also want to lose weight? We’ve got good news for you: Even if you’re dieting, there are plenty of low-calorie desserts that you can enjoy guilt-free from time to time. We’ve gathered some sweet treats that you can consume in moderation while dieting. Plus, we’ll explain why desserts can be so dangerous for your dream figure and what alternatives you can use to enjoy them without guilt.
Contents
- 1 Craving Something Sweet
- 2 Why Desserts Are Weight Killers
- 3 What to Keep in Mind When Choosing Sweets
- 4 Enjoy in Moderation
- 5 Power in Calmness
- 6 Fiber and Protein
- 7 Top 10 Low-Calorie Desserts
- 8 Healthy Snacks: Tasty Alternatives to Sweets
- 9 Conclusion: Yes, You Can Snack—But Do So Moderately and With Low Calories
- 10 FAQ: Your Top Questions About Low-Calorie Desserts
Craving Something Sweet
Whether it’s hunger pangs or just a busy day preventing you from eating a balanced meal, sweets are a part of daily life for most of us. This isn’t without reason—sweets provide a quick energy boost, increase motivation, and often improve your mood.
However, too much snacking inevitably affects your waistline, and the scales will give you away. That’s why the initial instinct during crash diets is to avoid all sweets. Unfortunately, this approach is hard to maintain and often leads to intense cravings afterward.
Why Desserts Are Weight Killers
Rest assured, almost everyone enjoys their favorite dessert from time to time. But nutrition experts repeatedly warn about the dangers of sweets: they pack a lot of calories quickly. So, what makes chocolate and similar treats so dangerous? The answer is simple: it’s their impact on your blood sugar.
Snacking causes your blood sugar to spike, giving you a quick energy boost and leaving you feeling satisfied. However, as soon as your blood sugar peaks, it drops again. The result? You feel tired, hungry, and your body signals that it wants more.
This creates a vicious cycle! The combination of appetite and hunger leads you to reach for another piece of chocolate. It’s hard to avoid gaining weight from sweets, especially if you’re not getting enough exercise or feel unmotivated to work out.
The energy from sweets is stored by your body as fat, particularly in areas like the hips, waist, abdomen, and thighs.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing Sweets
For most of us, sweets are a part of everyday life. The problem is that we tend to snack too often and consume too much. As a result, we provide our bodies with excess sugar and, therefore, excess energy.
Did You Know?
Our bodies are wired to store extra energy. In the Stone Age, this function was a lifesaver during times of crisis when food was scarce. Today, however, those crises are rare.
Enjoy in Moderation
Even while dieting, you don’t have to completely eliminate sweets and sugar. The key is to enjoy them in moderation. Snack sensibly and sparingly. Your body won’t mind the occasional piece of chocolate, but it shouldn’t be the whole bar. It’s best to divide your snacks consciously and choose low-calorie desserts.
Power in Calmness
Take your time while eating and avoid gobbling things down. You can satisfy your sugar cravings more effectively by letting a piece of chocolate melt in your mouth. This will help you lose weight without constantly worrying about the scales.
Fiber and Protein
Make sure that your sweets are rich in fiber and protein. The more fiber you consume, the slower your blood sugar rises, keeping you fuller for longer. As a result, you won’t feel hungry again as quickly.
Protein is a macronutrient you should consume daily as part of your diet. Ensure your protein needs are met to avoid unnecessary hunger.
Top 10 Low-Calorie Desserts
They are rare, but they do exist: low-calorie desserts are a perfect choice to satisfy your snacking desires, even during a diet. There’s a wide variety of low-calorie sweets that still taste great. As always, the rule is: enjoy in moderation!
Here’s a list of the top 10 low-calorie sweets:
- Popcorn
Popcorn is the perfect treat for movie night, and it’s also low in calories. 40 grams contain only 109 kcal. If you make it yourself, you can save even more calories. - Marshmallows
Though not for everyone, marshmallows are a must on this list. After all, 20 grams of marshmallows have only 66 kcal. It’s best to weigh the amount! - Hard Candy
If you’re craving something sweet, hard candy is a great choice. Slowly sucking on it helps curb cravings. Plus, one candy (about 5 grams) contains only about 20 kcal. - Lollipops
Like hard candy, the key to enjoying a lollipop is to take it slow. A 20-gram lollipop has just 50 kcal. - Licorice
Licorice has a tangy flavor but is also low in calories. 20 grams provide about 76 kcal. - Puffed Rice
Lightly sweetened puffed rice is also an ideal snack. 20 grams contain just 77 kcal. - Russian Bread
Sweet and crunchy, Russian bread is a delightful companion to coffee or tea. You can indulge repeatedly, as 20 grams contain only 78 kcal. - Fruit Leather
Choose sugar-free fruit leather for a guilt-free snack. 100 grams have only about 37 kcal. - Chocolate Kiss
Known as “chocolate puffs” or “foam kisses,” these treats are voluminous but surprisingly low in calories. 20 grams contain just 71 kcal. - Marshmallow
Go for marshmallows—they contain only 67 kcal per 20 grams.
Healthy Snacks: Tasty Alternatives to Sweets
Even better than low-calorie desserts are these alternatives for snacking between meals:
- Fruits and Berries
Good old apples and delicious bananas are much healthier and lower in calories compared to sweets. They do have their downsides but have a smaller impact on blood sugar levels. The downside is that they don’t contain protein, so they won’t keep you full for long. - Nuts
Many recipes include nuts for good reason. Nuts and peanuts are packed with fiber and protein, and they are delicious. Despite being high in calories, they don’t stimulate appetite and are very filling.
The carefully balanced mineral and B-vitamin complex helps keep your blood sugar in check and optimally supports your energy balance.
Conclusion: Yes, You Can Snack—But Do So Moderately and With Low Calories
Snacking is perfectly fine, even if you’re watching your weight or trying to reduce it. The important thing is to be mindful of what and how much you eat. A small piece of candy or a chocolate kiss here and there can help prevent those overwhelming cravings.
FAQ: Your Top Questions About Low-Calorie Desserts
Finally, we’ve compiled the most important questions about low-calorie desserts:
What desserts can you eat if you’re trying to lose weight?
If you want to lose weight, it’s all about the quantity and type. You can still enjoy a piece of milk chocolate or a few gummy bears occasionally. A particularly low-calorie dessert is fruit leather with no added sugar.
Which desserts are low in calories?
Popcorn, licorice, chocolate kisses, or marshmallows—there are many low-calorie dessert options. But remember to consume them in moderation.
Which desserts have low sugar content?
Nuts and fruits are great low-sugar alternatives. Otherwise, puffed rice and popcorn are recommended. With homemade popcorn, you can significantly reduce the sugar content.
What’s the healthiest candy?
If you can’t give up sweets, especially chocolate, the best option is to snack on dark chocolate. Look for a cocoa content of at least 70%, as this means the sugar content is quite low.
Are there calorie-free desserts?
All desserts contain calories, but the amounts can vary significantly. Hard candies, for example, are low in calories. Gummy bears and popcorn also have relatively few calories compared to milk chocolate, making them better snack options.