Chocolate, ice cream, fries: Guilty pleasures often dismissed as belonging in the 'junk food' category.
And definitely off limits for anyone on a health kick.
But
you can satisfy your cravings for a big bowl of ice cream without the
side order of guilt with a few tweaks to the traditional recipes... and
they can even be good for you.
Sally
O'Neil of healthy eating blog The Fit Foodie shares her tips for
indulging in your favourite foods while reaping the health benefits too.
Curb the cravings: Chocolate is
usually off the cards for dieters... but stick to the right variety and
reap the health benefits
'Without
a doubt, the single most important thing you can do for your health is
to quit refined sugar that hides in packaged foods, from meat rubs, to
baked beans, to doughnuts and chocolate,' Sally told Daily Mail
Australia.
'While these foods might make you deliriously happy, they’re wreaking havoc with your waistline.
'The
good news is you don’t have to give up on your favourite treats, you
just have to be selective. Here are five seemingly indulgent foods that
can actually offer up fantastic health benefits.'
CHOCOLATE
We've
all heard that a few squares of dark chocolate is good for us. That's
because the cacao it contains is nutrient dense and full of
antioxidants. It contains phenethylamine (PEA) which makes you feel
elated, in love, and attractive, and it also contains an abundance of
magnesium and iron.
However,
when the cacao is mixed with milk and sugar, the effectiveness of its
health benefits are reduced. Opt for bars the highest cocoa content -
leaving less room for sugar and dairy.
Go
a step further and buy ‘raw’ chocolate bars (containing unheated
cocoa), or make your own using a mix of melted coconut oil, raw cacao
powder and rice malt syrup.
Tip:
Don’t be fooled by ‘healthy’ chocolate bars that contain artificial
sweeteners such as sugraclose and aspartame. They can cause digestive
upset, and have even been linked to cancer.
DIY: Make your own chocolate using a mix of melted coconut oil, raw cacao powder and rice malt syrup
PEANUT BUTTER
Nut
butters are packed with protein as well as potassium - which lowers the
risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. It also contains
fibre for your bowel health, healthy fats, magnesium to fortify your
bones and muscles, Vitamin E and antioxidants.
It
has to be 100 per cent nuts though – lots of nut butters are packed
with trans fats, sugar, flavours, preservatives and salt to make them
cheaper to produce, so make sure you read the label.
Tip: Make your own nut butter by blending raw, unsalted peanuts in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Check the label: Nut butters are packed with protein as well as potassium - as long as they are 100 per cent nuts
ICE CREAM
Sorry,
not the Ben & Jerry’s variety. But while you may miss the caramel
fish swimming in a sea of marshmallow, there is a far more delicious and
nutritious alternative made with just one ingredient.
Skin
and freeze a banana, then blend it until smooth. Bananas are naturally
free of fat, cholesterol and sodium. At just 110 calories per serve,
this is a great way to get your ice-cream fix.
Tip: Add cacao nibs and a spot of peppermint essence for mint choc-chip, or go crazy for salted caramel with the addition of sea salt and a few medjool dates.
Swap Ben & Jerry's for bananas: Blended frozen banana is the perfect ice cream alternative
STEAK
Red meat can be high in saturated fat comparative to it's white counterparts, but opt for a lean cut
(such as eye fillet) from a good source. Go for organic, free-range beef to avoid ingesting artificial
hormones, and get up to up to 5 times as much Omega-3 as meat from grain-fed cows.
The
high levels of protein can help you build lean muscle, which in turn
increases your basal metabolic rate (rate at which you burn calories,
even at rest).
Tip: Go easy on the sauce and sides - you'll undo all your hard work!
Lean protein: Opt for a lean cut of organic, free-range beef from a good source
FRIES
It’s
time to swap your shoe-string ones covered in salt. Try sweet potato
fries baked in the oven to enjoy a huge hit of nutrients, including
beta-carotene for eye health, vitamin C for immunity, and magnesium for
anti-stress vibes.
Simply cut medium sweet potato into fries, season with your favourite spices and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.
Tip: Make a healthy sauce by blending avocado with some basil leaves and lemon juice.
Baked, not fried: Sweet potato fries are they no-guilt alternative to regular fries
RAW DARK CHOCOLATE RECIPE FROM THE FIT FOODIE
Delicious raw chocolate with crushed pistachios
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup coconut oil*
1⁄2 cup raw cacao powder
8-10 drops of liquid stevia**
pinch Himalayan sea salt (optional)
Method
Melt coconut oil in metal bowl over water filled pot (or double boiler) on stove top at low heat. Add
in cacao powder and stevia to taste, pour into silicone moulds and refrigerate or freeze until set.
For truly raw chocolate, do not heat the chocolate over 45°C to maintain the nutritional value of the
cacao.
Rawtastic add-ins
Stir in any of the below for delicious additions to your raw chocolate:
- dried fruit - crushed nuts - macadamia butter - frozen berries - cacao nibs - chia seeds - acai
powder - puffed brown rice - buckwheat - almond butter - shredded coconut
*can be substituted with cacao butter
**can be substituted with rice malt syrup, coconut sugar, raw honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar
Recipe from The Fit Foodie's Chocolate Everyday eBook
Makes 1 cup
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