A healthy diet shouldn't be based on deprivation or cause you misery. Instead of denying yourself sweet treats and falling into the deprivation-binge-guilt cycle, why not take control and learn to enjoy your healthy desserts in sustainable, healthier ways?
<div class="ExternalClassBB708F2BEF4A49148F274981883EFED0"><h2>Moderation, not Deprivation</h2><p>Forbidden fruit is the sweetest. Depriving yourself of your favourite <em>chendol</em> only makes you desire it more. And when you’re within munching distance of it, you’re also more likely to overindulge. Cue the guilt and the vicious cycle.</p><p>The smart thing to do is to eat dessert in moderation, and balance your indulgences with a nutritious diet. Share a portion of <em>chendol</em> with some friends, instead of telling yourself that dessert is off-limits. This way, you’re less likely to guiltily guzzle two bowls of icy <em>chendol</em> in one sitting.
</p><p>Besides moderation, another healthy eating tool is substitution. Let’s look at healthier alternatives to sugar, flour and fat.</p><p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1834/makan-matters-whats-a-healthy-diet" title="Makan Matters - What's a Healthy Diet?">Makan Matters - What's a Healthy Diet?</a></strong></p><h2>Sweet Substitutions
</h2><p>Sugar gives you energy without nutrients, and eating too much sugar could bring about obesity and a higher risk of diabetes. Slash the sugar with these alternatives!</p><h3>Sweeteners
</h3><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/delicious-raspberry-mini-tarts-on-dark-background.jpg" alt="Tiny raspberry mini tarts dusted with icing sugar" style="margin:5px;" />
</p><p><a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1057/substitute-sugar--and-stay-sweet" title="Substitute Sugar and Stay Sweet">Sweeteners</a> such as stevia and xylitol contain fewer calories than sugar (fun fact: stevia’s calorie-free!). Plus, they won’t cause a spike to your blood glucose levels.</p><p>Use sweetener in desserts and baked goods that don’t depend on sugar for bulk or caramelisation, that magical browning process that releases an intense, nutty-and-slightly-bitter flavour.</p><div style="border-width:3px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#21b8a5;padding:10px 5%;margin:10px 0px;background-color:#fafafa;"><font color="#262626" face="Segoe UI Semilight, Segoe UI, Segoe, Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.95px;">How to Make Healthy Desserts</span></font>
<p>Adjust the amount of sweetener you use; they’re much sweeter than sugar.</p><p>Gradually decrease the amount of sweetener you use — train your palate, and learn to enjoy the subtler flavours in food!</p><p>Try this out! Use sweetener instead of rock sugar in Chinese sweet broiled soups.</p></div><h3>Fruit
</h3><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/crepes.jpg" alt="Fresh crepes with strawberries and custard, dusted with icing sugar and chocolate syrup" style="margin:5px;" />
</p><p>Fruit are another alternative — raisins chopped in a food processor are a good substitute for sugar, especially if your recipe calls for bulk.</p><p>Or experiment by replacing sugar with chopped or pureed fruit. Give your desserts a flavour- and fibre-boost with fresh fruit like apples, pears, mango and pineapple.</p><div style="border-width:3px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#21b8a5;padding:10px 5%;margin:10px 0px;background-color:#fafafa;"><h3><span style="color:#262626;font-family:"segoe ui semilight", "segoe ui", segoe, tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:14.95px;background-color:#fafafa;">How to Make Healthy Desserts</span></h3><p>Fruit contain liquids, so you might have to reduce the amount of liquid you add when baking.</p><p>Try this out! Top homemade <em>ice kacang</em> with unsweetened fruit juice or puree, instead of sugary syrups.
</p></div><p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1291/fun-fruity-facts" title="Fun Fruity Facts">Fun Fruity Facts</a></strong></p><h2>Finishing Flour-ishes</h2><p>Refined flour contains very few vitamins and minerals, which means your <em>kuehs</em>, cakes, and pastries aren’t very nutritious. Choose flours that pack more nutrients for better baked goods.</p><h3>Wholegrain Flour
</h3><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/three-pain-au-chocolat.jpg" alt="Freshly baked chocolate croissants" style="margin:5px;" />
</p><p>Wholegrain flours like rye flour, oat flour and wholewheat flour, on the other hand, give baked goods additional nutrients and fibre, and a nutty flavour. These flours will also give more bulk to your dessert so you feel fuller after eating them.</p><div style="border-width:3px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#21b8a5;padding:10px 5%;margin:10px 0px;background-color:#fafafa;"><h3><span style="color:#262626;font-family:"segoe ui semilight", "segoe ui", segoe, tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;font-size:14.95px;background-color:#fafafa;">How to Make Healthy Desserts</span></h3><p>Experiment with <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1048/sneak-tweaks-for-healthy-baked-treats" title="Sneak Tweaks for Healthy Baked Treats">different ratios</a> when substituting with wholegrain flours to get your desired flavour and texture. Start by replacing every cup of refined flour in the recipe with ¾ cup of wholewheat flour.</p></div>
<hr /><p>Preventing Diabetes: Eat Healthily</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1827/healthy-hawker-hacks" title="Healthy Hawker Hacks">Healthy Hawker Hacks</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1801/desserts-durian-diet-busting-diabetes-myths" title="Desserts, Durian, Diet: Busting Diabetes Myths">Desserts, Durian, Diet: Busting Diabetes Myths</a>
</li></ul><p>For more information on how to prevent diabetes, visit our <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/138/diabetes-hub" title="Diabetes Hub">Diabetes Hub.</a></p><a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/138/diabetes-hub" title="Diabetes Hub"></a></div>
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
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1825
Monday, December 3, 2018
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How to Have Your Kueh and Eat It
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