What are some low carb desserts? And where is the Holy Grail? Both seem to be impossible quests. However, with careful planning, a cook can manage some sweets that are healthy and low in carbohydrates, as well as being tasty.
Low carb desserts begin with a knowledge of how sugar works. Sugar doesn’t simply add sweetness. It can also act as a liquid, and adds texture to desserts. So cutting out sugar may or may not work very well in a given recipe. A cook also needs to remember a dessert can still be high carb even if it is sugar-free. This is because other ingredients in the recipe, such as white flour, have as many grams of carbohydrates per serving as sugar. So a cook must pay close attention to all ingredients in the recipe, not just the sugar.
One commonly held misconception is that fruit is the acceptable healthy dessert, in preference to everything else. When carbs are being discussed, however, fruit is as carb-heavy as sugar. The body doesn’t necessarily process the sugar in fruit as quickly, due to the accompanying fiber, but it will be processed and it will affect the blood glucose levels. For those who are following a low-carb diet because of health reasons, such as diabetes, there are few “good carbs.” To the body, it’s all sugar. A person simply has to make wiser choices in types of fruit, and in amounts.
Some good low carb desserts do include fruit -- just in smaller amounts. A parfait made of non-dairy whipped topping and berries is a good dessert. Plain or sugar-free vanilla yogurt can be used in place of the whipped topping, as well.
Chocolate can even play a role in low carb desserts as long as it is semisweet and in moderate amounts. Chocolate chips can be melted with butter to produce a sauce good for use on sugar-free ice cream. One ounce of semisweet chocolate chips has 19 grams of carbohydrates. However, a tablespoon of the sauce has fewer than 10 grams per serving.
Cookies can also be used for low carb desserts. Combine one cup (226 grams) of peanut butter, 3/4 cup (170 grams) sucralose, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet, flatten with a fork and bake for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Allow to cool five minutes and enjoy. This recipe makes between 12 and 18 cookies, depending on the size.
The key to making tasty low carb desserts is paying attention to all the ingredients, their purpose in the recipe and their carbohydrate content. This will help a cook make wise substitution choices. Even if the dessert isn’t as low in carbohydrates as the cook would like, as long as the dessert is eaten in moderation, it can be a welcome, occasional addition to a low-carb eating plan.
