Heart-healthy desserts are a delicious way to reap the nutritional benefits of your favorite sweets. Whether you're looking for heart disease prevention or delicious ways to manage your health despite heart disease, sweets can still be part of the equation.
"Anything can fit into a healthy diet," Teresa Gentile, a New York City-based registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. In fact, non-Jews eat sweets almost every day, usually in the form of chocolate, he says.
Along with other lifestyle strategies like good sleep and physical activity, choosing the right sweets can help you achieve your heart health goals.
“With a little careful planning, you can add the sweets you like occasionally or regularly,” says Emma Ling, Ph.D., clinical professor and director of the dietetics education program at the University of Georgia and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. food. . Nutrition Science, reports TODAY.com.
Part of that planning includes choosing dessert toppings, as well as "being wise about portion sizes and eating slowly and sensibly without too much distraction," Ling adds.
Even if you don't have heart problems like high blood pressure or cholesterol, following a heart-healthy diet isn't a bad idea, Gentile says. Heart disease is common and the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Therefore, heart health “should be a concern for most Americans,” he says.
What do you look for in a heart-healthy dessert?
In general, experts recommend making cakes yourself if possible.
“The more you can make candy at home, the more you can reduce the unhealthy oils and hydrogenated fats found in commercial products,” Gentile says. You can also buy your candy from a local bakery, which will likely use healthier ingredients than you'll find in packaged candy.
She especially recommends looking for ways to incorporate fiber into desserts, because it is an important nutrient for heart health.
For example, try using whole wheat flour when baking quick breads like pumpkin bread, or adding oats to muffin recipes or pureed fruit and crunchy toppings. Look for desserts that contain fruit, too, because "fruit contains a lot of fiber, both soluble and insoluble," Gentile says.
In general, experts recommend looking for desserts that contain these heart-healthy ingredients:
Fruits rich in antioxidants, such as berries, citrus fruits, apples and grapes.
Whole grain products that provide fiber.
Olive oil, canola oil, linseed oil, and walnut oil.
Nuts and seeds that contain healthy fats and fiber, such as peanuts, walnuts and flaxseeds.
Avocado and avocado oil.
Ingredients to limit for heart-healthy desserts
If you want to take care of your heart health, experts recommend avoiding or limiting certain ingredients.
This includes:
Tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut oil.
Alcohol (think frozen watermelon margaritas, fizzy rosé, or a slushie made with wine, Ling says).
Dessert ideas recommended by nutritionists for heart health
Ripe, baked or boiled fruit
Both experts suggest using fruit as the main ingredient in dessert.
Especially in the fall and winter, non-Jews like to prepare baked pears with warm spices like cinnamon or poached pears in applesauce. In fact, for Thanksgiving this year, his family made baked apples for dessert, topped with brown sugar, pecans and a little butter.
“It was a great dessert with some vanilla ice cream on top,” he says. "I felt like I was getting some fiber and sweetness."
Yogurt crust
This frozen dessert is a perennial favorite among nutritionists and offers endless possibilities for customization. It is prepared by spreading Greek yogurt on a baking tray and covering it with any mixture of ingredients. After a few hours in the refrigerator, you can crack the crust.
Try sprinkling a portion of chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and berries. Or follow Gentile's suggestion and use pomegranate seeds or dried fruit.
Black bean crackers
Black Bean Brownies get a big boost of fiber and healthy protein from beans. The concept may seem a bit strange at first, but “it's better than it sounds,” Gentile says. “Anyone who has done this can confirm that.”
Oatmeal and raisin cookies
"I love incorporating oats into desserts," Gentile says, and a classic oatmeal-raisin cake provides the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Oats and raisins contain heart-healthy fiber, and grapes provide an extra dose of antioxidants.
Banana and oat cookies
Gentiles also use oats as a dessert for a quick banana, oat, and pecan or chocolate cake recipe.
He explains that the recipe contains "good soluble fiber from oats and bananas." It is so nutritious that she gives it to her children for breakfast or puts it in their lunch boxes.
Other variations may include adding peanut butter for healthy fats and protein or shaping the mixture into convenient spherical shapes.
Mini matcha cake
Ling explains that regular consumption of matcha tea is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease because it is particularly rich in antioxidants and amino acids.
“Matcha powder can be added to smoothies, ice cream, and baked goods to enhance flavor and increase the antioxidant levels in these products,” she says.
Check out this recipe for matcha mini muffins, served with fresh strawberries, from the American Heart Association. Or try a matcha version of the classic Chinese sponge cake topped with tea-infused whipped cream.
Chocolate clusters with fruit and quinoa
If you want something sweet and crunchy, a few handfuls of chocolate and nuts will do the trick, Gentile says.
It's made by coating a selection of your favorite nuts and dried fruits, as well as boiled or roasted quinoa, in melted chocolate. Of course, chocolate, nuts and dried fruits also make a delicious and nutritious snack. But quinoa adds chewy flavor and "increases the fiber and protein content," Gentile says.
Matcha popsicles
Another simple matcha dessert option is to make popsicles. Ling especially recommends this AHA-approved recipe, which starts with a smoothie-like blend of avocado, banana, fat-free Greek yogurt, and matcha powder sweetened with honey.
Beet brownies
According to Ling, beets are a strong source of heart-healthy nutrients, including fiber, folate and potassium. "A fun fact about beets is that the leaves are also edible, and whole beets can be mashed, juiced, or added as a powder to desserts like muffins, cheesecakes, and cookies," she says.
In beet cakes, the root adds a light, earthy sweetness and adds moisture for a more moist texture.
Fruit chips made from apples, bananas or berries
Combining fresh fruit or with a simple topping of oats is another great way to get the benefits of fruit and fiber in a dessert, Gentile says.
Such desserts also provide the opportunity to eat with the seasons by using seasonal fruits, such as peaches, apples, pears, plums or blackberries.
Semifreddo with fruits and yogurt
This simple and delicious parfait is an easy way to pack in loads of heart-healthy ingredients without any preparation. Simply sprinkle your favorite choice of fresh fruit and chopped nuts over plain yogurt. You can add some chocolate chips or make a simple chocolate chip using powdered sugar, hot water and cocoa powder, says the American Heart Association.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com