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Guilt-Free!
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You can enjoy these sweet treats without worry
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By Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.
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MediZine's Healthy Living Summer 2009
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 Satisfy your sweet tooth with these five good-for-you goodies:
Strawberries & Chocolate
A bowl of fresh strawberries dipped in dark-chocolate syrup supplies up to one-third of your day’s need for fiber (which may lower risks for colon cancer, breast cancer and heart disease), all your vitamin C and hefty doses of minerals and B vitamins—for only about 160 calories.
The Non–candy Bar
Take four lemon-flavored pitted prunes and stuff an almond into each one. These tasty bites supply 3 grams of fiber and decent amounts of B vitamins, potassium and iron—all for 120 calories. Plus, prunes are a top source of antiaging antioxidants.
Yogurt Parfait
Layer a cup of custard-style low-fat yogurt with chunks of fresh fruit and top it off with whipped cream. This treat is low in fat and supplies about one-quarter of your daily vitamin B2 and calcium (for strong bones), about half of your B12 and lots of zinc to boost your immune system.
Just Like Sorbet
A 1¼ cup serving of frozen blueberries supplies more than 4 grams of fiber, lots of B vitamins, one-quarter of your vitamin C needs, a good dose of vitamin E (important for heart health) and several trace minerals. Blues are also an excellent source of phytochemicals—compounds that can help protect the body against heart disease and premature aging.
Gingered Oranges
Mix ½ cup canned mandarin oranges with 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger. You’ll get vitamin A (healthy skin and eyes), B vitamins, half your daily vitamin C, and magnesium, potassium and zinc, for under 100 calories!
Some ice creams pack more than 300 calories, up to 58 percent fat and 3 teaspoons of artery-clogging saturated fat in a measly ½ cup serving. To satisfy your taste buds and protect your waistline, look for ice creams and frozen yogurts that have no more than 150 calories and 2 grams of fat per ½ cup serving.
And check this out: A new process called cold churning (also known as slow churning or double churning) thoroughly disperses tiny globules of milk fat, giving lower-cal chilly treats the rich texture of fattier frozen pleasures. A final caveat: Don’t eat out of the container; it’s far too easy to double or triple the suggested serving size.
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A study from the U.K. suggests healthy foods may slow the aging and improve the appearance of skin. Eating a lot of vitamin C–rich foods lowered the likelihood of dryness and wrinkling. Plenty of linoleic acid (in nuts, seeds and avocados) reduced dryness. But high intakes of total fat and/or carbs boosted the risk for wrinkles and skin aging.
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Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet and Age-Proof Your Body, is editor in chief of Nutrition Alert, a newsletter that summarizes nutrition research. She also appears on national television shows, including NBC’s Today.
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