Every year some things change, and some things stay the same. This axiom is true of our quest for both sweetness and health. Too often we throw caution aside and indulge in total decadence. This year is no different than most. Let’s look at some of the sweetness that’s been trending lately.
“Healthy” Ice Cream
Can I get a hallelujah? Finally, some options that are bigger than a half cup of ice cream or a Skinny Cow tiny treat. Arctic Zone, Halo Top, and Bryers have all come to our rescue and not only provide a low-calorie option but they’ve also added protein. It’s basically health food at this point! With the cherry on top, you can eat the whole pint for less than 400 calories. Really? 400 calories?
“Healthy” Sugar Options
You see recipes on Pinterest for “sugar-free” desserts, but are they really? This “sugar-free business” is filled with smoke and mirrors, so let’s get some things straight. Coconut sugar, date sugar, and maple syrup are all sugar. They may have a few vitamins and minerals and minimal health benefits over refined white sugar, but they are sucrose and can cause gastrointestinal problems if you have if you have sucrose intolerance.
“Artificial Sugars” Allulose and Sola
Allulose, used in processed food, is derived from fermented corn and has just a tenth of the calories of table sugar while maintaining 70 percent of the sweetness. It breaks down into fructose and glucose with sight structural differences – making it mostly indigestible by our bodies. Sola is a blend of erythritol, tagatose, maltitol, stevia, monk fruit extract, and xanthum gum. If you follow a low-FODMAP diet, then you should avoid these sugars. The claim is that Sola is about 90 percent as sweet as sucrose and is good for baking.
Donuts
These tasty treats are not just for your neighborhood cop anymore. It seems like donuts are really making a comeback and not just for breakfast. I’ve seen donuts more elaborately iced than cupcakes, donut holes that allow for filling injections at golfing establishments, and even donut wedding cakes. Donut fashions are also a thing with donut socks, scrunchies, t-shirts, and tattoos. You can even relax in the pool on a giant donut and inhale way too many frosted donut calories.