Sugar Cravings Throwing Your Diet? Here's 5 Healthy Dupes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Let’s face it: dieting is hard. And those of us with a sweet tooth have it even harder! 

To achieve the ripped body you’re working out for, eating consciously and prioritizing healthy food is paramount. Yet cravings for sweets can be an incessant distraction, constantly derailing your progress with cheat days that undo all the hard work you’ve done. 

Luckily, you don’t have to completely deny your sweet tooth while maintaining your workout diet, and these healthy homemade dessert treats also pack a hefty punch in the nutrition stakes! 

Avoid temptation to cave in to dessert with these 5 healthy dupes to satisfy your sweet tooth:

5. Homemade Banana Ice Cream

Got a hankering for ice cream? Let’s kick off our menu of sweet dupes with this absolute GAME CHANGER of a recipe.

All you need is a blender, some frozen bananas and your favorite superfood mix-ins to have a thick, creamy bowl of frozen deliciousness:

• Throw 2 frozen bananas in your blender with a splash of oat milk and a handful of toasted nuts of your choice. 
  
  
• For chocolate ice cream minus the calories, add in 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder, 4 chopped dates, a teaspoon of maple syrup & some hazelnuts. 
  
  
• For ice cream bursting with berry flavor, pour in 1 cup of frozen blueberries or strawberries with a sprinkle of chia seeds and a teaspoon of honey.

Blend until smooth, adding in more oat milk until you’ve achieved the perfect ice cream consistency. Next, grab a spoon, dig in, and wonder why you’ve been succumbing to scoops of calorie bombs for all this time when healthy ice cream is just a quick blitz away!

4. Dark Chocolate-Dipped Dates

For this late-night indulgence, it’s worth splurging a bit on the highest quality ingredients to get you that bliss-factor your sweet tooth is screaming for.

• Grab a tub of fresh Medjool Dates (not the pitted dried variety: I’m talking about those plump, juicy ones sold in tubs in the fruit & veggie section of the store) & some premium 65% cacao dark chocolate.
  
  
• Gently melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a bigger bowl of boiling water, or microwave in 20 second bursts until just melted. Stir and get ready to dip...
  
  
• With a small knife, carefully score down the side of the dates and remove the seed.
  
  
• Carefully dip each Medjool date in dark chocolate, transfer to a plate lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until the chocolate is set and firm - about 30 minutes.
  

Who said healthy desserts can’t be sexy? Now all you’ve got to do is try not to eat ‘em all on the first night. Chocolate dipped strawberries can step aside, I’ll take these caramelly, luscious treats anyday.

3. Baked Apples & Granola

Fall is just around the corner, and it so happens that our apple pie cravings are too. Luckily, you’ll barely miss the pastry with these comforting baked apples that are packed with crispy granola for an oaty crunch:

• Take some Fuji apples, cut them in half and carefully remove the core and stem to make a hollow circle in the middle of the apple. Place cut-side-up in a baking dish with a splash of water and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  
  
• Bake for around 45 minutes until soft - you can check that they’re done with the tip of a sharp knife.
  
  
• Remove from the oven, pop into a bowl, and pile high with your favorite low-sugar granola.

To make this extra fancy for a special occasion, you can always add a small scoop of plant-based vanilla ice cream for richness. Look for coconut or oat milk ice creams with no added sugar to keep things diet-friendly!

2. Caramel Apple Dip

Healthy toffee apple in a bowl, anyone? Yeah, I thought so. This creamy, insanely delicious dip is packed with fruit and has no caramel in sight, but your taste buds will never suspect a thing:

• In your blender, toss half a chopped green apple, ½ cup smooth almond butter, ¼ cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon maple syrup and 8 fresh Medjool dates (don’t forget to remove the pits!)
  
  
• Blend until smooth, adding a splash more almond milk if needed to achieve a good dipping consistency.
  
  
• Pour into a bowl, scatter with toasted almonds, then serve with sliced green apples and gluten-free pecan nut crackers alongside for dipping.

Hit all the caramelly, brown-sugar notes your sweet tooth desires with this decadent dip that’s perfect for date nights, picnics and movie nights.

1. Fresh Fig Platter with Honey & Walnuts

Fruit platters can get a bit boring. So when fresh figs are in season, get on board with this super sexy exotic dessert dupe that’s also packed with protein:

• Grab some fresh Turkish figs that are soft and ripe for the best flavor, slice them in half, and lay cut-side-up on a platter.
  
  
• Generously scatter handfuls of toasted walnuts around the figs.
  
  
• Drizzle the figs and walnuts with raw local honey, and dig in!

Stack up your fork with this satisfying combo of jewel-like fruit that’s packed with fiber, low-GI honey for sweetness, and protein-rich walnuts. While it’s not a peanut butter cup, it’ll tick the boxes of all your sweet-crunchy-rich cravings without expanding your waistline!

Eating well to achieve your fitness goals doesn’t need to leave your taste buds or cravings out in the cold.

Our diet plans are much easier to stick to when we get to treat ourselves, so don’t forget to keep life sweet while you’re getting shredded with these healthy dupes. Enjoy them in moderation, and you can indulge every other day whilst still smashing your gains!

Fefe | MME Wellness Contributor