For a lot of people, eating a meal isn’t complete without a dessert to finish it off. Desserts are generally sweet, so health-conscious people skip eating desserts even if their taste buds are craving for these sweets. Even so, there’s no reason to suppress your taste buds if there are healthier food options such as low glycemic desserts.
GI or glycemic index is a measure of the effects of food in the level of blood glucose during the 2 hours after foods are consumed. When you eat foods with high carbohydrates contents, blood glucose instantly rises and insulin is produced. Glucose is then pushed out from the blood to the body tissues, leading to the dropped level of blood glucose.
Eating low GI foods results in a steadier and more stable rise of glucose levels.
Benefits of low GI desserts
These low glycemic desserts will help avoid glucose spikes that can potentially damage blood vessels and arteries. You’ll have lower risks of chronic diseases and heart problems associated with fluctuations of blood glucose.
They also contribute to better weight control. Foods that have high GI that cause glucose spikes instigate feeling of hunger after only 1 ½ – 2 hours of eating. With low GI foods you’ll have a longer time feeling full and won’t get the urge to grab snacks as frequently.
The insulin produced when eating high GI desserts makes the body store fat a lot easier. This stockpile of fats is meant for future use by the body so you just end up gaining more weight by eating high GI foods.
Although some people believe that low-GI desserts are not possible, there are indeed healthier options to still enjoy healthy desserts for every meal you eat.
Fruits are basically the ideal low GI desserts to enjoy. Other low glycemic desserts also include dark chocolate and other healthier dessert ingredients.
• Berries such as strawberries (fresh, not canned) have low GI. They are great additions to oatmeal.
• Apples also contain low GI. You may eat dried apples with GI of only 29. You may also drink unsweetened juice made from apple. Munch on some fresh apples to enhance your fiber intake.
• Pears can be taken as a dessert or on their own as a healthy snack. You can also add almond butter with the pear for a more delicious treat.
• Oranges also come in both fresh and canned or processed variants. Fresh oranges are of course the better option for low glycemic dessert. Fresh oranges will also provide heftier amount of fiber.
• Cherries also contain GI of only 22. You can eat cherries after a meal, while watching a movie or as a healthy snack during daytime.
• Peaches are excellent and can be made into a peach crumble by adding oat flakes with the fruit. Scoop some yogurt on top for a satisfying healthy dessert.
• Grapefruits are also excellent low glycemic fruits for desserts. You can eat grapefruit on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. You could also eat an omelet with your fruit.
• Prunes can be eaten alone or used together with other ingredients to prepare low GI desserts. You can puree the prunes as substitute for the sugar and fat ingredients in a baked dessert recipe.
• Dark chocolate can be melted and used as a dip for these fruits mentioned above and as essential ingredients in healthier chocolaty desserts.