If you're trying to manage your weight or limit your added sugar intake, you can still eat dessert without sabotaging your goals.
As a matter of fact, enjoying a tasty treat can actually help you achieve your weight loss goals. And we're talking full-on desserts — not lightened up varieties that tend to be filled with artificial sugars or are lacking in substance due to fat-free replacements.
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The following healthy low-calorie desserts deliver on flavor and will satisfy any craving so you won't be left wanting more. Consider these eight favorites — from frozen delights to rich peanut butter cups — that pack fewer than 200 calories and 10 grams of added sugar per serving.
1. Justin's Mini Dark Peanut Butter Cups
Per serving: 150 calories, 10 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 85 milligrams sodium, 12 grams carbohydrates (1 gram fiber, 9 grams sugar, 9 grams added sugar), 2 grams protein
Choosing a smaller size of the real thing, like these mini PB cups will probably do a better job of satisfying your craving than a lightened-up faux version could. These cups have the same sweet, chocolatey goodness found in the regular-sized cups, they're just smaller (and cuter) in size.
Buy it: Target; Price: $5.99 per bag
2. Bubbies Mochi
Per serving: 90 calories, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 10 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates (1 gram fiber, 10 grams sugar, 10 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
If you love mochi, you'll appreciate Bubbies and its vast variety of flavors. These are available in traditional options like Chocolate and Vanilla and also come in more adventurous flavors like Red Velvet, Strawberry Coconut Milk and Passionfruit. There's truly a mochi for everyone.
Buy it: FreshDirect; Price: $6.99 per box
3. SkinnyDipped
Per serving (Dark Chocolate Cocoa Almonds): 140 calories, 10 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 80 milligrams sodium, 11 grams carbohydrates (2 grams fiber, 6 grams sugar, 6 grams added sugar), 5 grams protein
In addition to the original almond variety, SkinnyDipped nuts now come in cashews and peanuts, too. These nuts are coated in a thin layer of chocolate, which helps them naturally achieve a lower calorie, lower sugar nutrition profile. But don't let any of this deter you, as they boast a rich, chocolate flavor (and also come in Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel, Lemon Bliss, Peanut Butter and beyond). All of the nut/flavor combos range from 130 to 150 calories per serving and 3 to 7 grams of added sugar.
Buy it: Target; Price: $4.49 per bag
Per serving (Crunchy Chocolate Chip): 150 calories, 9 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 130 milligrams sodium, 16 grams carbohydrates (1 gram fiber, 7 grams sugar, 7 grams added sugar), 2 grams protein
Simple Mills cookies deliver on taste and texture with a very limited ingredients list. They're available in four flavors: Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate, Toasted Pecan and Cinnamon, all of which contain 150 calories per serving and range from 5 to 7 grams of added sugar. The brand has soft, chewy cookies if that's more your jam, too.
Buy it: Amazon; Price: $13.39 per 3-pack
5. Alden's Organic Vanilla Ice Cream Mini Square Sandwiches
Per serving (Vanilla): 100 calories, 4.5 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 55 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates (0 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, 8 grams added sugar), 2 grams protein
These sandwiches are just like the real ice cream sandwiches you love, just in mini-size. Turns out you can have your ice cream sandwich and eat it, too. Minimizing the portion size is the key to satisfaction that doesn't sacrifice taste. The mini sandwiches are available in Vanilla as well as Sea Salt Caramel and both flavors are USDA-certified organic.
Buy it: Instacart; Price: $5.79 per box
6. Alter Eco Chocolate Bars
Per serving (Sea Salt): 180 calories, 13 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 55 milligrams sodium, 14 grams carbohydrates (3 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar, 8 grams added sugar), 3 grams protein
Alter Eco has a large selection of dark chocolate bars and all of the flavors with 70 percent cacao or more have 170 to 200 calories and 3 to 8 grams of added sugar per serving. You can enjoy flavors like Dark Chocolate Salt & Malt, Dark Salted Almonds and Burnt Caramel. Vegans have a huge selection to choose from as well, including Super Blackout, Mint Blackout and Deep Dark Sea Salt.
Buy it: Instacart; Price: $3.99 each
7. Dream Pops
Per serving (Berry Dreams): 60 calories, 3 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 15 milligrams sodium, 7 grams carbohydrates (<1 gram fiber, 4 grams sugar, 3 grams added sugar), 0 grams protein
Kids and adults will love these delicious and fun-to-eat plant-based pops. They're available in five flavors: Berry Dream, Coconut Latte, Mango Rosemary, Vanilla Matcha and Chocolate Lion. They feature a super-simple ingredients list and, in some cases, sneak in a few good-for-you, trendy ingredients like lion's mane mushroom. All flavors have 60 to 90 calories and 4 to 5 grams of added sugar.
Buy it: Instacart; Price: $4.99 per pack of four
8. Alden’s New School Orange Cream Bars
Per serving: 90 calories, 3.5 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 15 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates (0 grams fiber, 11 grams sugar, 10 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
If you're a fan of the old school orange Creamsicles, you will simply adore these "new school" orange and cream bars from Alden's. The bars are made with real milk, orange juice and orange oil — and all ingredients are USDA-certified organic. Most other bars on the market contain well over 10 grams of added sugar so if you're craving that creamy orange dessert flavor, pick this lower-sugar brand.
Buy it: Instacart; Price: $4.99 per box