10 Superior Sweet Treats
1. Fruit: One of the best sweet treats invented! Fruit is fine for people with diabetes. In fact, the ADA recommends two to three servings daily, depending upon your calorie needs. Some "superfruit" (extra high in antioxidants and vitamins) include all berries (especially blueberries), cantaloupe, kiwi, mango and citrus. Whole fruit is a fine source of fiber, which is important to decrease risk for stroke and heart disease.
2. Yogurt: Nonfat, sugar-free yogurt makes a tasty snack or dessert. Enjoy it right out of the container for a snack or as a dip with vegetables. For dessert, serve peach-flavored sugar-free yogurt drizzled on grapefruit and orange sections.
3. Frozen Fruit Slush: Try this recipe from the National Cancer Institute's Eat 5 to 9 a Day program. Makes four servings.
Using a blender, process the following:
3 cups frozen fruit (such as frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or melon)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup fat-free milk or nonfat plain yogurt
Sweeten to taste. One packet of sweetener equals about 2 teaspoons of sugar.
4. Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate: Choose calcium-fortified, sugar-free hot chocolate and satisfy your sweet tooth with the added bonus of the bone-strengthening mineral. Read the label: calories range from 25 per serving to 60; some contain zero trans-fat and others contain one to two grams. Some hot-chocolate mixes are sweetened with NutraSweet and others with Splenda. As for carbs, some have three grams or less; others contain more.
5. Angel Food Cake: This fat-free cake is nutritious served topped with a one-half cup of sliced, fresh strawberries and a dollop of sugar-free nondairy topping. A small piece counts as one serving of bread plus a half serving of fruit.
