Healthy Snacks When Craving Sweets

A craving for sweets isn't always just in your head. The Yale Medical Group points out that cravings sometimes stem from hormonal activity, low blood sugar levels or the body's need for a specific nutrient. Don't give in to a craving by munching a sugary snack, however, because cravings are also caused by emotions, smells and psychological factors that vary wildly among people. Eat a well-rounded diet, don't let yourself get too hungry and choose snacks without added sugar to control cravings.

Fruit

Fruit is an obvious choice for snacking when you're craving something sweet. Fruit is naturally sweet and offers the benefits of vitamins and fiber in your diet. You should be eating 2 cups of fruit per day and snacking is a great way to do that. Choosing a whole piece of fruit, such as an apple, banana, peach or pear, is quick and easy, particularly when you're busy. For something a little more elaborate, make a salad with tropical fruits and mix in chopped cilantro and lime juice or add fresh mint leaves to a bowl of berries. Lightly steam apple and pear slices, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg for a lot of flavor and few calories.

Dairy

Yogurt satisfies a sweet tooth when you eat it with fruit. Use plain yogurt and avoid most commercial, flavored yogurts because they tend to be high in added sugar. Read the labels carefully. Mix low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese with chopped apples and cinnamon for sweetness and unique flavor and texture. Slices of cheese and apples pair well, but watch the fat content of the cheese.

Whole Grains

A quick bowl of oatmeal topped with berries not only can tame a craving, the fiber will also help you feel full so you eat less. Make muffins and quick breads from whole grains for the healthy fiber, and use applesauce or mashed bananas to sweeten your baked goods without using sugar. Whole-grain couscous cooks up quickly and gains sweetness with the addition of dried fruit such as apricots, cranberries or raisins.

Vegetables

You might not think that vegetables are capable of satisfying a craving, but many are naturally sweet. Snack on a bowl of grape or cherry tomatoes when a craving hits, or top a small pile of really fresh, raw peas with a dollop of plain yogurt mixed with mint leaves. Young carrots are very sweet, but the baby carrots you see in bags at the store, while still sweet, are carefully prepared and processed mature carrots. Turn sweet potatoes into healthy fries in the oven or top cold, steamed beets with a little goat cheese.

Dark Chocolate

When sugar cravings are overwhelming, eat a small piece of dark chocolate. Just remember to keep your intake moderate. Dark chocolate is made with less sugar than other types of chocolate and contains antioxidants that may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Don't eat more than 1 oz. of dark chocolate per day, recommends the University of Michigan Health System.