Eat This, Not That: 4 Healthy Ways To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

1. Eat whole fruit, not fruity candy. Whole fruits can contain quite a bit of sugar, but have no fear, those sugars are all-natural. So instead of reaching for a bag of Skittles or chowing down on some Laffy Taffy, satisfy your sweet tooth by reaching for some fruit. Some fruits on the sweeter side are cherries, strawberries, apples, pears, bananas, and mango.

2. Eat dark chocolate, not chocolate cake. Do you really want cake? Or are you just looking for that rich, chocolately taste? Curb your cake cravings with dark chocolate. Dark chocolate with at least a 60% cacao content is healthy and full of fiber and antioxidants. If this bittersweet treat is a tad too bitter for you, dip some strawberries or banana slices in melted dark chocolate.

3. Have a Greek yogurt smoothie or parfait, not ice cream or a milkshake. It isn't easy resisting a creamy scoop of ice cream or refreshing milkshake after dinner, but beware of the amount of saturated fat in ice cream. Why not have a Greek yogurt smoothie or parfait instead? Greek yogurt is just has creamy and satisfying but also much healthier and higher in protein than ice cream. Simply blend some frozen or fresh fruit with Greek yogurt to make a simple smoothie, or try one of these four delectable ideas.

4. Eat homemade granola, not sugary cereals or granola. Store-bought cereals and granola contain too much sugar to be healthy for your waistline. I'll admit that I love the crunchiness and sweet taste of cereal and granola, and homemade granola can be made to be just as delicious without as much sugar. In a bowl, mix rolled oats, nuts and seeds, unsweetened dried fruit, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and raw honey. Spread a thin layer of the mixture in a baking pan and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until it is lightly toasted. Raw honey and vanilla extract will sweeten the granola without the processed, unnatural sugars in store-bought cereals and granola.

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