Low-carbohydrate diets are designed to inhibit the amount of insulin your body produces and to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates and sugar raise your blood sugar and insulin levels so low-carb diets restrict consumption of foods high in carbs and sugar. Therefore, dessert options can be a bit slim when you're following a low-carbohydrate diet, since you are craving something to satisfy your sweet tooth and commercial desserts are generally loaded with simple carbs and sugar. You can actually make a variety of carb-friendly desserts at home if you have the right recipes and substitute a few key ingredients.
Sugar Substitutes
You can alter many desserts to fit into your low-carb lifestyle by using substitute sweeteners that are low on the glycemic index because they won't raise your insulin or blood glucose levels as high as sugar does. Stevia is a natural sweetener option that is significantly sweeter than sugar so you don't have to use as much. Artificial sweeteners like saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose may suffice, as well, because they also don't raise insulin and blood sugar levels. However, check your diet guidelines to make sure that artificial sweeteners are allowed. Agave is another natural sweetener that you can add to dessert recipes, or as a substitute for syrup, to keep your insulin levels lower than sugar.
Fruit Smoothie
Fruit is naturally sweet and provides your body with antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. You can make a fruit smoothie for a fresh dessert that will be lower in carbs than many mainstream dessert options. Choose fruits that are low in carbohydrates, such as berries. You can make a blueberry smoothie by blending fresh blueberries with ice, low-sugar yogurt or unsweetened almond milk. Add a sugar-substitute of your choice for an extra-sweet smoothie and top it off with a light, sugar-free whipped topping. This blueberry dessert contains approximately 13 g of carbohydrates when you use a fourth of a cup of fresh blueberries and a half cup of low-fat yogurt. Add a few grams of carbohydrates for sugar-free whipped topping if you choose to use it.
Chocolate Meringue Kisses
A low-carb dessert option that you can make at home are chocolate meringue kisses. These little treats will satisfy your sweet craving and only contain 19 calories, 1 g of fat and 2 g of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for two egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 cup sugar substitute, 2 tbsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and a light whipped topping. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar together and add the sugar substitute, vanilla extract and cocoa powder until you have your blended cocoa meringue. Bake cookie sized meringue kisses for approximately 30 minutes and sandwich them together with the light whipped topping.
Mini Cocoa Swirl Cheesecake
You can make cheesecake at home that is low in carbohydrates and sugars. Mini cocoa swirl cheesecake is an option that only contains 7 g of carbohydrates, 130 calories and zero sugar. These chocolate treats contain reduced-fat cream cheese, part-skim ricotta cheese, granular sugar substitute, egg yolk, vanilla extract and unsweetened cocoa powder. You can bake the cocoa batter in muffin cups for individual cakes.
Member Comments