Dealing with a sweet tooth can be challenging when trying to lose weight. Drinking water may help curb cravings temporarily, but satisfying cravings with healthy options is better. Sweet potatoes are a great substitute, as they provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals while satisfying a sweet craving naturally without added sugar. Fruit is also a good option, as long as it is 100% fruit juice without added sugars. Certain spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg can enhance the natural sweetness of foods and trick the palate into thinking sugar has been added. Experimenting with different spice combinations is recommended to reduce sugar cravings.

1. Dealing With Sweet Tooth in Weight
Loss Program
Dealing with your sweet-tooth can be one of the greatest challenges to a successful
weight loss or fat loss battle.
It has been suggested that drinking a large glass of water can help you get past a time
when you were tempted to binge on sweets or some other unhealthy snack. While this
is valid and true, sometimes water just doesn't make the cut. We're going to discuss
some healthy ways that you can satisfy your longing for something sweet.
The World Health Organization issued an obesity alert suggesting that we limit our
intake of "added sugar" to 10% of our total calories. Since most of us don't eat
granulated sugar by the tablespoonful, we need to watch carefully for sugar to rear its
ugly head.
Sugar can be found in many processed foods, sauces, soups, condiments, beverages
and just about anything you consume. The problem is that many times the product
you purchase doesn't have a flashing neon sign that says "SUGAR IN HERE!" You
need to be a bit of a detective and check the ingredients for sugar.
Sugar is stealthy and operates under a number of different aliases. Watch for sugar to
appear in the form of:
- raw sugar, cane sugar, white sugar
- corn syrup, high fructose variety or plain
- molasses or honey
Here are a couple ways the experts at the American Dietetic Association recommend
getting some extra sweetness without picking up a bunch of extra pounds.
"Have a sweet tooth? Nibble a sweet potato!
Think about this. One-half cup of sweet potatoes delivers more beta-carotene
(antioxidant) than 12 cups of broccoli. Sweet potatoes also supply vitamin E, another
antioxidant, and potassium, too.
Raw sweet potatoes make an easy low-calorie, nearly fat-free snack. They deliver
fiber, even more than with the peel on. Sweet potatoes give a no-sugar-added
sweetness to a meal, and cooking makes them sweeter yet.

2. Sometime this week, do this with sweet potatoes:
- Blend cooked and chilled sweet potatoes in breakfast smoothies.
(Quick tip: Use canned sweet potato puree.)
- Cut them in strips for oven-baked fries.
- Substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes or apples in recipes."
Another great source of sweetness-without-guilt can be fruit juice. It comes in dozens
of delectable flavors and combinations, but beware... all fruit juice is not created
equally! Check the labels and purchase only juice that contains "100% Fruit Juice".
Fruit that is used for juice can ripen well beyond the point that it's store-bought whole
fruit brothers and sisters can ripen. Because of this, you can get all of the sweetness
you desire, without any added sugar.
According to the American Dietetic Association, it is possible to convince your taste
buds that you've added sweetness to your food by pairing up certain spices with
certain foods. The idea here is that we might be able to ward off the desire for sweets
by "convincing" your palate that you've already had some.
The philosophy is that certain spices will enhance the natural sweet flavors of certain
foods, thus making you feel as though you have experienced sugar or honey, when in
fact you have not.
If you don't mind the thought of playing head-games with yourself, read on...
1. Use ginger in combination with fruit and fruit glazes to accentuate the natural
sweetness of the fruit.
2. Try adding cinnamon to your morning breakfast cereal or oatmeal. Breakfast cereal
can be a good and filling morning meal as long as it isn't heavily sugared when it is
made or prepared. Cinnamon, sprinkled on top of the cereal, will complement the
starches in the grains in a way that accentuates the sweetness.
3. Add some nutmeg or cinnamon to cookies and rice. The nutmeg produces a
flavorful "bite" that enhances the sugar, while the cinnamon does the same for cooked
rice. The rice/cinnamon combination can even be enjoyed as a dessert.
4. If you haven't given up caffeine, adding some spice to your coffee or tea that might
preclude the need for cream or sugar. Try mixing and matching the following as you
brew up the next pot: cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice and ginger.
5. Use vanilla to add a sweet flavor to things. Vanilla can be added to coffee, puddings
and baked goods of all types.

3. 6. Try seasoning cooked carrots with cinnamon. Steam the carrots, drain them, then
sprinkle with cinnamon, toss and serve. If you have kids, reserve some without
cinnamon and give them a few of each. Ask them whether they prefer the "regular"
carrots or the "sweet" carrots. Giving them a choice will help to prevent them from
rejecting them outright as something "strange" or new.
7. Serve sweet potatoes instead of potatoes or rice. Adding some cinnamon to the
sweet potatoes will help accentuate the natural sweetness and might remind you of a
Thanksgiving treat! No marshmallows though!
You will have to experiment with the amounts and types of spices that you use. Start
with a little and add more as you go. Variety is the spice of life. Let spice add variety
to your healthy cooking so that your life can be longer and healthier!
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