Healthy sweet foods

Sweet foods are a tasty treat for people of all ages. Because most sweet foods contain sugar and empty calories, overindulging can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Eating healthier sweet foods in appropriate proportions can help prevent sugar-induced health issues while allowing you to satisfy your sweet tooth. Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy sweet foods enables you to make smarter dietary choices.

Berries

Cranberries, blueberries, strawberries and cherries belong to the berry family of fruits and contain a number of beneficial compounds. According to the American Chemical Society, berries are high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals that help prevent age-related cognitive loss. Berries can be eaten whole, made into smoothies or added to cereals and other foods for their antioxidant effects and sweet taste. When shopping for berries, avoid berry-flavored products and those that contain added sugar.

Dark Chocolate

Chocolate has long been considered a delicacy for its rich, decadent flavor. It is made by combining cacao powder with fat and sugar to produce a creamy confection. In moderation, dark chocolate is a good source of many important nutrients. The flavanols in dark chocolate have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and decrease blood pressure in healthy people. Because chocolate is a high-fat food, avoid eating more than 3.5 g per day. Chocolate that contains nougat, caramel and other highly-sweetened ingredients is even higher in fat and less likely to provide positive health benefits.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a favorite at family dinners and holiday celebrations. They are high in dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates and beta-carotene, making them a healthy sweet treat. Sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, steamed or stir-fried for their hearty nutritional content. When choosing sweet potatoes, look for firm potatoes free of soft spots and bruises. For additional flavor, add a touch of clove, cinnamon or ginger.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are a tart, tangy fruit packed with vital nutrients. In addition to vitamin C, citrus fruits also contain phytochemicals like flavanoids and carotenoids that have antioxidant effects. Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges and grapefruits may reduce the risk of cancer, anemia, heart disease and other health conditions. Citrus fruits can be eaten plain or juiced for their refreshing flavor and nutritional benefits.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/368581-healthy-sweet-food/#ixzz1VswRwZyY

Diabetes Diet and Food Tips EATING TO PREVENT AND CONTROL DIABETES

Eating right is a key step to preventing and controlling diabetes. Fortunately, whether you’re trying to reduce your risk of diabetes or manage a pre-existing problem, you can still enjoy your favorite foods and take pleasure from your meals. Your nutritional needs are the same as everyone else—no special foods or complicated diets are necessary. But if the way you eat has been less than healthy, you may need to learn some better eating habits. The key to a diabetes diet is eating in moderation, sticking to regular mealtimes, and eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

What you need to know about diabetes and diet

Diabetes is on the rise, yet most cases of diabetes are preventable with healthy lifestyle changes. Some can even be reversed. The bottom line is that you have more control over your health than you think. If you’re concerned about diabetes, you can make a difference by eating a healthy diet, keeping your weight in check, and getting exercise.

Eating right for diabetes comes down to three things:  

• What you eat. Your diet makes a huge difference!! You should eat mostly plant foods, cut back on refined carbs and sugary drinks, and choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats.
• When you eat. Diet is part of it, but keeping regular meal and snack times also affects your blood sugar levels and will help to keep them more constant.
• How much you eat. Portion sizes matter. Even if you eat very healthy meals, if you eat too much you will gain weight, which is a factor in diabetes.

          Eating sweets at a meal adds extra carbohydrates. Because of this it is best to cut back on the other carbohydrate containing foods at the same meal. Carbohydrate-rich foods include all flour products (i.e. bread, tortillas, crackers), rice, cereal, fruit, juice, potatoes, corn, etc. This will help you keep your blood glucose levels on track. Just keep in mind that these carbohydrate-rich foods have many nutrients your body needs, so don’t substitute too often.

Eating for diabetes doesn’t mean eliminating sugar. But in order to get the most enjoyment out of sweets, it is best to save them for special occasions. After all, they are called treats for a reason. If you have diabetes, you can still enjoy a small serving of your favorite dessert now and then. The key is moderation.

You do not need to eat special foods, but instead simply emphasize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A diabetes diet is simply a healthy eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. It is a healthy diet for anyone!

source: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_diabetes.htm

Cookies and Cream:)

Cookies and Cream (or Cookies 'n Cream) is a variety of ice cream and milkshake based onflavoring from chocolate cookies. The "Cookies and Cream" ice cream uses sweet cream ice cream (often vanilla) and chocolate wafer cookies of any type. The flavor is widely associated with the Oreo cookie, a kind of cookie sandwich with a sweet, white cream filling commonly used in milkshakes and other frozen desserts such as Blizzards, pies, etc.


Simple Cookies and Craen recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup crushed Oreo cookies*
*Place Oreo cookies in a Ziploc bag. Seal bag. Crush cookies using the heel of your hand.
Directions: 
Using a wire whisk or hand mixer, mix milk and sugar until the sugar dissolves (about 1 -2 minutes).
Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract.
Pour into ice cream maker.
Churn about 15-20 minutes or according to manufacturer's instructions.
Add crushed Oreo cookies to ice cream.
Churn for 5 additional minutes.
Start eating! 
-http://www.google.com.ph/

Health Benefits of Eating CAKES

Some says, Cakes are Bad. cakes are evil one.With all the sugar, calories, some of them fat, they are considered to be bad and we have no problems. yes. that was true, that’s because they are rich and oh so luscious that every bite seems to be prohibited.

But anyway,  Nutritional experts and physicians have been telling us that cakes are filled with bad-for-you ingredients like sugar and others, but what only a few knows is that cakes have good effects on our physical and mental health also.

Its nutritional value for our physical wellness depends on the kind of cake we are talking about. While specialists say eating chocolate cakes, especially the dark variety, is good for you when eaten in moderation, there’s as well something good to be said with the fruity kind.

But whatever kind of cake we desire, as long as we aspire it, is still good for us. How come? It’s all about our mental health. Denying yourself the rich and luscious chocolate overload cake would just make you feel disappointed.

For all the negative effects we heard about eating rich cakes, only a few has been mentioned about its benefits. Treating yourself to a piece of the richly delightful confectionery sweet, such as the cakes beautifully exposed in bakeries, can bring you intense happiness and pleasure.

Bibingka ng Pangasinan

Bibingka is a type of rice cake native to the Philippines. The traditional way of cooking this  rice cake is unique and fairly time consuming. The mixture is poured on a clay pot lined with pre-cut banana leaf. A special clay oven known as “Bibingka oven” is needed to bake this rice cake. The clay pot is position  between the layers of the Bibingka oven and lit charcoals (locally known as “uling”) are placed below and above the clay pot to evenly cook the mixture.

Fat is the most concentrated source of energy. We could all do with eating a lot less than we do, even ‘good’ fats such as olive oil should be used sparingly. Fat comes from meat products, fish, chocolate, biscuits or chips as well as oils that we use in cooking.

A healthy diet should provide no more than 35 per cent of the total calories consumed from fat. For the average man this is approximately 90g of fat per day and for women it is around 70g per day. Fats supply the body with fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.




Hi... This is Sugary flavorsome Life...:)
all about sweet foods... chocolates.. ice creams.... cakes... cookies... candies.. and my favorite, rice cakes...