Properly formulated diet is one of the key points of weight loss. To get rid of extra pounds, to gain a slim and fit silhouette, you must strictly calculate the number of calories consumed per day, bring physical activity into your daily plan and, of course, discard harmful products that trigger fat accumulation. And if there is no doubt about fast food and other “hazards”, then sweets are often mistakenly attributed to the list of dishes prohibited during weight loss. In fact, a competent diet can be even tastier than a standard diet; the main thing is to choose low-calorie sweets that will not leave behind a couple of extra inches at the waist.
TOP-5 low-calorie sweets for losing weight
On the shelves of modern stores you can find absolutely any sweets, including low-calorie. The list of the most a useful and tasty dietary product includes:
1. Dark chocolate
Unlike milk chocolate, confectionery tiles and desserts with the addition of fillings and dried fruit, natural dark chocolate with minimum sugar content and a high percentage of cocoa beans are considered one of the most healthy and low-calorie foods during weight loss.
The nutritional value of such sweetness will quickly quench the feeling of hunger, and the microelements that are part of it will fill the body with energy for the whole day. In addition, dark chocolate stimulates the production of serotonin – a hormone that reduces stress and causes a feeling of satisfaction, which, in turn, inhibits cravings for harmful high-calorie sweets. According to the recommendations of nutritionists, you can eat about 2-3 strips from a standard 100 gram tile per day, and this will in no way damage the figure.
2. Low-fat ice cream
Favorite summer sweetness is also allowed to be consumed during the diet, but it should be chosen wisely: low-calorie types include only ice cream, which has no fillers and other additives, and the fat content is minimal. If desired, you can cook it yourself, choosing non-fat milk and replacing part of the sugar with berries and fruits. This dessert is rich in calcium, so it quickly quenches hunger and compensates for the lack of nutrients.
Another important point is the low temperature of milky sweetness: getting into the stomach, cold causes a reduction in blood vessels, thereby stimulating heat transfer. This process causes additional energy consumption for warming the body from the inside, so splitting calories is faster.
Despite the fact that low-fat dairy ice cream belongs to low-calorie desserts, pampering yourself with such sweetness without the risk of gaining an extra couple of kilograms can be no more than 2 times a week – even the most dietary varieties, if consumed in excess, can cause ineffective diet.
3. Candied
Dried fruits can, without harm to the figure, fully compensate for the craving for sweets. They can be used as an afternoon snack in a standard form, added to porridges and compotes, or soaked overnight in water in order to enjoy a hearty and healthy breakfast in the morning.
Candied fruits contain a high percentage of cellulose, which is slowly digested; therefore, it quenches hunger for a long time. In addition, dried fruits are rich in complex carbohydrates necessary for the proper energy exchange. During the period of weight loss, they will provide the body with calories that are not deposited in the adipose tissue, and also bring healthy vitamins and trace elements into the diet.
Choosing dried fruits, you should pay attention to the method of drying them. It is better if all fruits are dried naturally without the use of sugar and preservatives – only, in this case, the sweetness will be considered low-calorie. In addition, you should observe a sense of proportion – it is better to eat no more than 3-4 pieces of prunes and figs per day, 100 grams of dried apples and pears.
4. Marshmallow
Natural marshmallows, cooked without preservatives, can be attributed to low-calorie sweets with a small reservation – it should be included in the menu carefully and moderately. Dietary marshmallow consists of chicken egg proteins, sugar substitutes, and gelatin. If desired, you can cook it yourself – so the sweetness will turn out not only low-calorie but also guaranteed fresh, natural and incredibly tasty. But sugar can be replaced with maple syrup or berries – the taste will not suffer from this, and the caloric content will noticeably decrease.
One option for homemade marshmallow is peach-based sweetness. For its preparation you will need:
- 3 ripe juicy peaches;
- 15 grams of instant gelatin;
- Any sweetener.
Wash peaches thoroughly, peel and chop in a blender to a smooth mash. Gelatin dissolves in a small amount of water, mix it with peach puree and sweeten a little. Cool the resulting mass, then thoroughly whisk with a mixer, lay on the parchment, forming neat marshmallows, and leave for a couple of hours until fully cured. Such sweetness will turn out to be no worse than shopping, and the low-calorie composition will allow you to pamper yourself with a homemade dessert 2-3 times a week, even while dieting.
5. Fruit jelly
Jelly, prepared on the basis of natural fruit juice, can be safely counted among the low-calorie and incredibly tasty sweets, which are well refreshed, satisfy hunger and compensate for vitamin deficiencies. Such desserts are sold in small portioned jars, which can be an excellent option for snack or snack. The main thing is to ensure that there is no sugar in the composition, or its amount is minimal. In this case, jelly is allowed on a diet in unlimited quantities.
However, it is not necessary to overpay for the finished product – you can easily make several servings of fresh fruit jelly based on your favorite fresh juice or make a fruit mix of several types of juice, gelled in layers. Anyway, home sweetness will be much tastier and healthier shopping.
Fruits and berries – the best source of sugar
Of course, the most low-calorie sweetness allowed during weight loss is fruits and berries. However, it is not necessary to assume that any types of natural products are allowed on the diet – some of them contain a rather high percentage of glucose, which will reduce the effectiveness and speed of weight loss. Without fear of gaining an extra pair of kilos you can use:
- Citrus fruits, especially grapefruits,
- A pineapple;
- Watermelon,
- Red currants,
- Kiwi,
- Blueberries
- Mango,
- Raspberries,
- Strawberries
- Green apples sour varieties.
But from the grapes during weight loss is better to give up – even sour berries contain a large number of calories. In addition, the dense skins are digested for a long time, littering the stomach. You should also reduce the portions of persimmon and bananas – although they are rich in vitamins and trace elements, but extremely calorie.
Recommendations for eating sweets while losing weight
Making the diet menu, you should pay attention not only to the choice of low-calorie sweets, but also to their correct use:
- If you want to sweeten your own diet, not only follow the number of calories contained in the desert, but also the percentage of fat: you can get rid of the calories eaten with the help of an extra workout, and it is not so easy to break down lipids from sweets. It is from them that the subcutaneous fat layer and the inner fat are formed, covering the organs with a thick layer.
- Even the lowest calorie sweetness, eaten for dinner, will definitely affect the scales. During sleep, the body does not require additional calories, since all processes slow down, so the dessert is simply deposited on the waist and sides with extra centimeters. Eating goodies is possible only before lunch – so the body will receive additional energy, and the resulting calories will be completely consumed during the day. And if in the evening unbearably want to feast on something sweet, it is better to satisfy your hunger with fragrant herbal tea with a spoon of honey.
- Including low-calorie sweets in the menu, make sure that their energy value does not exceed 10% of the daily norm.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners – they do not replace sugar, but, on the contrary, increase cravings for delicacies. It is better to use natural products – sweet berries, fruits, candied fruits. In extreme cases, you can replace sugar with honey – although its energy value is quite high, honey is much sweeter than standard sugar, therefore it is much less expensive.
- Do not indulge yourself with desserts every day – while dieting, you can do relaxation 2-3 times a week. And if you really want something tasty, you can eat a couple of slices of bitter chocolate – it will fill the shortage of necessary substances and will not affect excess weight.
- In no case do not include in the diet yeast pastries and buttercreams – even with a stretch, it is impossible to call them low-calorie. Such sweetness inhibits metabolism, disrupts the digestive tract and, moreover, contains an inadmissibly high percentage of lipids.
- If you decide to eat homemade cakes, choose recipes based on flax flour – there are much fewer calories in it than in wheat flour, and the fiber contained in it will provide nutritional value and reduce hunger.
Do not turn the diet into a test – completely depriving yourself of your favorite sweets, you increase the risk of breakdowns, due to which excess weight will constantly return. It is better to eat low-calorie desserts several times a week – such indulgence will make the diet tasty and will not affect its effectiveness in any way. Lose weight with pleasure!
