The widespread fashion for beauty and health is not able to exterminate the love of sweets even among the most inveterate adherents of proper nutrition and sports. Of course, they dream that sweets will cease to be harmful. And manufacturers of various desserts are forced to reckon with this desire, putting on sale entire lines of delicacies, the use of which does not pose a threat to either body or spirit.
Desserts and a healthy lifestyle: how to combine one with the other?
In Russia, there is a boom in a healthy lifestyle, and its wave has swept the world of desserts. More people are realizing the importance of proper nutrition to cut down on sugar, fat and calories. In this regard, traditional sweets are giving way to new, more useful alternatives.
The availability of information on healthy nutrition has opened eyes to the link between food composition and health. Fitness centers, bloggers and nutrition specialists promote actively a balanced diet, where desserts made from natural ingredients – fruits, nuts, oatmeal, honey and natural chocolate – are not only pleasant to taste, but also healthy.
Manufacturers and retailers have picked up this wave, expanding the range of healthy desserts. Naturalness, low calorie and no harmful ingredients are the key words in marketing that attract the attention of consumers.
All these factors create fertile ground for the rapid growth in demand for healthy desserts. This trend will undoubtedly continue and develop in the coming years, opening up new horizons in the world of cooking and healthy lifestyle.
6 most popular healthy sweets in Russia
The following desserts are now popular among supporters of a healthy lifestyle:
- Chia pudding. Tender as a cloud, this dessert made with chia seeds soaked in tender coconut or almond milk is a real masterpiece. Honey or maple syrup adds a slight sweetness, while fresh berries or fruits add bright and juicy accents.
- Smoothie bowls – taste of summer in every spoon! Made with fruit, berries, herbs and superfoods, served in a bowl and garnished with granola, nuts, seeds and pieces of fruit, the smoothie is a feast for the senses.
- Energy bars are the perfect snack for active people. Natural bars made with nuts, dried fruits, oatmeal and other healthy ingredients are free of added sugar and preservatives.
- Curd desserts. Light and tender, these desserts made from low-fat cottage cheese mixed with honey, fruit or berries are high in protein and good for maintaining muscle mass.
- Baked fruit. The aroma of cinnamon, the delicate sweetness of baked apples, pears or bananas, complemented by nuts and honey, is a real delicacy that gives us taste and benefit.
- Berries in chocolate without sugar.. The sourness of berries (for example, raspberries or cherries) perfectly harmonizes with the bitter taste of chocolate without sugar, creating a unique contrast.
Can sweets be useful?
Sweets can be beneficial if you choose the right sources of sugar and consume them in moderation. Healthy sweets usually contain natural sugars and additional nutrients – vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Here are some examples.
Fruits and berries are natural sources of sugars that are also rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.
Honey is a natural sweetener that contains antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. However, it should not be abused either. Honey contains many calories, fructose (which is dangerous for people with diabetes or insulin resistance), and excessive consumption of it can lead to the accumulation of fat in the liver.
Bitter chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and is rich in antioxidants that are good for the heart and brain.
However, any, even healthy sweets can be harmful if consumed excessively. It is important to maintain a balance and feast on sweets in moderation.
Margarine and palm oil: can you get by?
Today, the production of confectionery without the use of margarine and palm oil is possible, but it is associated with a number of challenges and often costs more.
The use of cocoa oil, that is superior to palm oil in taste and properties, but much more expensive, is limited to the production of premium chocolate products. Dairy fats, butter and other dairy products can replace margarine, but they are also more expensive and less stable, especially during storage and transportation.
Vegetable oils – sunflower, rapeseed or olive – can be an alternative, but require adjustments to formulations and production technologies. Coconut oil, similar in properties to palm oil, is also expensive.
High prices for alternative fats increase the cost of production, replacing one fat with another requires a revision of technological processes, and the shelf life of palm oil and margarine exceeds the shelf life of alternative options.
At the same time, the desire for naturalness and growing consumer awareness of the health effects of palm oil and margarine are forcing producers to look for new solutions. The way out is innovation, compromise and readiness for additional costs.
How to reduce the calorie content of desserts while preserving their taste?
Dessert makers aim to create healthier versions of their favorite treats using several calorie reduction strategies without losing flavor and texture.
Artificial and natural sweeteners (stevia, maltitol, sucralose and other sweeteners) provide sweetness, but contain significantly fewer or no calories. This allows you to preserve the sweetness of desserts, reducing their calorie content.
To reduce calories, fats can be replaced with less high-calorie analogues – yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit puree, apple puree or puree from other fruits and vegetables. In some recipes, fat is replaced with vegetable oils containing less saturated fat.
Proteins have a lower calorie content per gram compared to fats and can be used to improve the texture of the product. Adding proteins from milk, egg whites or soy products can reduce fat and carbohydrates.
The addition of fiber (inulin, pectin, psyllium) helps to improve texture and saturation, increasing the volume of the product without significantly increasing calories. Fiber not just reduces calories, but also has a positive effect on digestion.
Alternative low-carbohydrate flours (e.g. almond flour, coconut flour) may be used instead of wheat flour, reducing calories and glycemic index.
Each of these strategies can be applied alone or in combination depending on the objectives and formulation of the product. Dessert makers are looking to create healthier options for favorite delicacies by satisfying consumer desires and following healthy eating trends.
By Alexander Smirnov, restaurateur, founder of Smirnov Group, creator of the raspberry dessert Frambini