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healthy sweets?

  • 01-11-2007 5:13pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 68 ✭✭


    are there any 'sweet' foods that are also healthy?
    i want to diet but i can't cut out chocolate/sugary foods because then i feel deprived and end up binging.

    i mean something you could have with a cup of tea..

    how about chocolate covered raisins? are these fattening?
    or Go Ahead biscuits?

    thank you...


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭Da Bounca


    Nutrigrain bar or the Elevenses bars maybe? They're fairly tasy


  • Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭mack1


    Your best bet is to not do it half arsed by eating stuff that is kinda sweet just so you feel like you're not depriving yourself - they all taste like ****e!
    You're much better of if you eat clean 90% of the time and then treat yourself with something that you actually enjoy once in a while.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,924 ✭✭✭eamon234


    Most of those Nutrigrains, Go Aheads etc are pushed as low fat - but they're full of sugar usually which kind of defeats the purpose!

    I quite like those Chocolate covered Rice Cakes you can get


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    Dark chocolate is supposed to be good for you :)
    In moderation of course.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    orange dark chocolate covered rice cakes...yum!

    yes, I agree. Stay away from the 'low fat' snacks as they are very sugary. Crunchies, maltesers, curly wurly's are all low in calories. I'm sure there are more but these are the ones I know about.


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 1,421 Mod ✭✭✭✭slade_x


    i know the craving for sweet foods myself but ever thought of for example Strawberries, Grapes, etc. They seem to kill my cravings (especially those white seedless grapes :D)


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,370 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Crunchies, maltesers, curly wurly's are all low in calories. .

    They are low in calories simply because they are low portion sizes, i.e. the bars are very light relative to other ones. The makers are sly and never directly put weights on "light bars", just info per bar and per 100g- the weight can be calculated from this. Aeros & wispas are also "light bars", jaffa cakes are light biscuits too.

    I was getting big tins of heros and eating a few at a time, but found myself at the bottom of a 2.2kg tin that was supposed to last till after christmas!

    Go-ahead and other "healthy living" stuff is usually just low portion sizes, or when low in fat is high in sugar and vice versa.

    Raisins and other dried fruit are sweet and better than sweets. You can get dried apple rings and pineapple in health shops.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    boreds wrote: »
    Dark chocolate is supposed to be good for you :)
    In moderation of course.

    this is not necessarily good for u it jus the healthiest option between the three type of choc AVOID white at all cost as it is hazardous to anyone tryin to lose weight


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    i have been recommended popcorn as a snack in my diet as full of fibre


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 984 ✭✭✭cozmik


    dried figs are very sweet, nuke one in the microwave for 20 seconds, delicious :)


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,376 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    Dates are v nice as well - nature's candy.

    They're really sweet but it's fruit sugar (fructose) not glucose so it's lower GI.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    If you are a chocolate addict, eat the very darkest stuff you can get. Go for at least the 85% (Amnesty International do an organic fairtrade 85% cocoa bar, it's practically your duty to eat it). I actually like the Lindt 99%, though it is an acquired taste.

    Alternatively make your own sweets.

    Dissolve a packet of gelatin in a very small amount of water (1-2 tablespoons) just off the boil. Add some sweetener and the juice of a lemon or lime. Allow to chill in the fridge. When it's firm, chop it up and you have sour gum drops.

    Or, dissolve your gelatin in water, add sweetener and your flavour of choice (rose water is very exotic, but lemon or chocolate or strawberry is good) and some sweetener. Let it cool while you whisk an egg white. When it's fluffy, continue to whisk while you drizzle in the gelatin mixture. Pour into a flat container and chill. Sugar free marshmallow.

    Mix a good spoonful of cocoa powder, sweetener and some cold coffee to a smooth paste. Whisk an egg white till stiff and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Divide into two old yogurt pots and freeze. Chocolate ice-cream.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,586 ✭✭✭Gaz


    Get yourself some low carb/low fat protein bars , im in new zealand at the moment and they have these lovely chocolate bars , 4g carbs and 20gr of protein.

    Feckin lovely


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    I'd keep those for emergencies (I've got one in my bicycle bag in case I get stranded on the side of a hill with nothing to eat). Otherwise, give them a miss. They are high calorie, the protein quality is often not great, and they are full of sugar alcohols which will give you an upset stomach, smelly farts and a bad case of the runs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭podge018


    what are boiled sweets like? I got a big jar of them in dunnes for €5 and after dinner I have 1 or 2 of them and they quench the sweet craving a lot of people get. Im guessing they're okay?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    They are pure sugar. You might as well eat the white stuff on the table. They'll push your insulin levels through the roof.

    Seriously, if you must eat sweets, go for very dark chocolate. Or berries. Frozen berries are a great sweet snack.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18 acbar


    Hi there, Was wondering have you any advice on what sweet treats i could add to my lunchbox. I'm currently Post WW ( got to goal -2st10lbs in december) and now my weight loss is minimal, but would still like to get down another 7lbs. Im training for 10k in may and half marathon in august, and currently running outdoors 4 days p/w circa 5k and have 1 day in gym.
    I have a fierce sweet tooth, but overall my diet is very controlled. I always have a little something for after my lunch to keep me going, something like spec**l k mini biscuits or country c*runch bars, but would love some advice on what else i could pack as not only are these costing me a fortune but i would ideally love to make my own flapjacks or something that would give me a healthy energy boost as i know these bars are full of sugar!!! any tips?!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,241 ✭✭✭meijin


    After being almost completely off sugar for over a year, I find broccoli sweet :)
    You don't really need sugar, especially if you want to lose weight.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18 acbar


    meijin wrote: »
    After being almost completely off sugar for over a year, I find broccoli sweet :)
    You don't really need sugar, especially if you want to lose weight.

    thanks for that but my saying is "everything in moderation", i have 3 kids and unfortunately the temptation is always there, I am just looking for the healthy option, if anyone has anything helpful to add...;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,920 ✭✭✭✭Gummy Panda


    acbar wrote: »
    meijin wrote: »
    After being almost completely off sugar for over a year, I find broccoli sweet :)
    You don't really need sugar, especially if you want to lose weight.

    thanks for that but my saying is "everything in moderation", i have 3 kids and unfortunately the temptation is always there, I am just looking for the healthy option, if anyone has anything helpful to add...;)

    Quest bars

    Expensive but lovely. Get them from discountsupplements.ie, predatornutrition.com or iherb.com


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,241 ✭✭✭meijin


    acbar wrote: »
    thanks for that but my saying is "everything in moderation", i have 3 kids and unfortunately the temptation is always there, I am just looking for the healthy option, if anyone has anything helpful to add...;)

    haha, OK, no offense, but I don't think there are any "healthy sweets" (as something produced in a factory, with added sugar or sweetener).
    I don't understand the temptation thing, and how would kids affect that? Do they force you to eat sweets? ;)

    To be of any help... healthy alternative could be some dried fruits maybe? Or even better just raw fruits - has plenty of sugar. Also in moderation :)

    PS Quest bars are protein bars... 20g of protein in each + few sweeteners.

    PPS well done on your progress so far!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,920 ✭✭✭✭Gummy Panda


    meijin wrote: »
    PS Quest bars are protein bars... 20g of protein in each + few sweeteners.

    They are indeed but protein gives satiety and the apple pie ones are truly amazing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,241 ✭✭✭meijin


    They are indeed but protein gives satiety and the apple pie ones are truly amazing.
    Yeah, but having one on top of regular meal might be too much; also quite expensive. I must try this idea some day: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055992322


  • Registered Users Posts: 192 ✭✭Glitter


    I'm another advocate of "a little of what you fancy does you good".

    Since I started my diet I've trained myself to have one square of Lindt "orange intense" dark chocolate each evening after dinner. If I've been to the gym I might let myself have two squares but I'm finding lately I don't want the second square anyway.

    I can't stomach the super high percentage stuff yet and I still need the hit of the orangeyness to tone down the cocoa in the dark choc but it's a start!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭saa


    acbar wrote: »
    thanks for that but my saying is "everything in moderation", i have 3 kids and unfortunately the temptation is always there, I am just looking for the healthy option, if anyone has anything helpful to add...;)

    I know how hard it is having junk in the house if its processed and sweet aim for portion control or look at natural alternatives, like buying one portion of sweets in the local shop rather than bringing back a 6 pack from the supermarket, would something like that work for you? Its a good habit to get into, sweets in the house create so much stress for me, or are there sweets the kids like but you don't?

    I think chocolate is better than hard sugar sweets and when it comes to chocolate its all about portion size for me Id rather have a freddo than a bigger bar of something i don't like so much or god forbid have a "share" bag to unconsciously get through.

    The only way I can see sweets being healthy is by not being part of your regular diet so individually wrapped things help me and making sure they are not in the cupboards so they are not wreaking your head and the kids don't have easy access to them either (i.e nagging or expecting them and it is so hard to be around trigger foods when youre dieting :P_)


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