If you are starting out on your weight loss journey, then it is highly likely that you have been told by both nutritionists and doctors alike that cutting off sugar is one of the first and most essential steps you should be taking. Does this mean that you have to cut off all desserts and sweet treats despite having a considerable sweet tooth? Of course not!
Weight loss is about overall calorie balance and lifestyle habits. It's important to find a balance that works for you and fits within your calorie and nutritional needs. The key is to make smart choices and practice moderation. This means that there are plenty of weight loss desserts you can indulge in, if you go about it the right way.
As mentioned before, the key factor with weight loss desserts is making smart choices and practicing moderation. So, paying attention to portion sizes is critical. Look for healthier dessert options that are lower in calories and added sugars, and are instead loaded with nutrient-dense options. Also, choose to prepare desserts at home instead of going for shop-bought options. This is because when you prepare desserts at home, you have more control over the ingredients used. Experiment with healthier substitutions, such as using whole wheat flour instead of refined flour.
Video Credit: YouTube/NishaMadhulika
Wondering how to indulge in homemade weight loss desserts without compromising on your goals? Here are some weight loss desserts you can try making at home.
Millets Laddoo
Millets laddoos are total energy bites that are typically made with nutritious ingredients like finger millets, pearl millets, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and oats, which provide a good balance of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. The high fiber content in these Millets Laddoos can help promote satiety, keeping you feeling fuller for longer and potentially reducing overall calorie intake. You can get millet flours, dry roast them with nuts, seeds, dry fruits, a bit of jaggery and ghee, and bring them together to make Millets Laddoos.
Makhana Kheer
Ever tried Makhana Kheer during a vrat? If you haven’t then you should know that this one is a very low-calorie and high-fibre dessert, thanks to the presence of fox nuts and low-fat milk. To make Makhana Kheer, just boil low-fat milk with cardamom powder, reduce it by half, add dry-roasted makhanas and very little sugar or a sugar alternative.
Loaded Chikki
Believe it or not, Chikki is one of the most high-fibre and nutrient dense sweet snacks prepared in India. Just look at its traditional ingredients—peanuts, sesame seeds, other dry fruits, nuts and seeds, and jaggery—and you can easily understand how nutritious this one is. Making Loaded Chikkis is easier still. Just dry roast all the ingredients you want to add, pour in molten jaggery, mix well quickly and let it set.
Ragi Halwa
Finger millets or ragi is packed with plenty of fibre, vitamins and minerals, so making a halwa with this ingredient will work wonders as a weight loss dessert. Sure, making Ragi Halwa may call for the addition of sugar and ghee, but you can easily substitute the sugar with jaggery and add less ghee than needed. You could also add plenty of nuts and seeds to make this one more high-fibre and healthy.
Oats Laddoo
Oats are quite the weight loss superfood, so naturally, you should be making weight loss desserts using this amazing ingredient. To make Oats Laddoo, you need to dry roast oats with nuts and seeds of your choice. To sweeten the Oats Laddoos, you can add dates and a bit of jaggery.
Apple Berry Kheer
The simplest ways to turn any kheer into a weight loss dessert is to substitute the sugar, fat and carbs from it. So, instead of the rice, add grated apple; instead of the sugar, add sweet and fresh berries; and always use low-fat milk instead of high-fat milk. That’s all you need to do to make a stunning Apple Berry Kheer for your weight loss dessert indulgence.
Moong Dal Halwa
There is good reason why the traditional Moong Dal Halwa from Punjab makes for a great weight loss dessert. Moong dal may be cheap, but it is loaded with nutrients, especially protein and fibre. You can make your Moong Dal Halwa even healthier by using jaggery and dates paste instead of sugar, and minimizing the use of ghee while roasting the moong dal.