Satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt: 20 healthy sweets

The current situation has disrupted our routines, and our eating habits may suffer as a result. Stress and anxiety can trigger a strong desire to snack, especially when it comes to sweet treats.

Whether it's emotional eating or a hormonal response to stress, fighting the urge for sweets can be challenging. However, it is possible to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthier way.

Instead of reaching for sweets that are loaded with empty calories, processed sugars, and unhealthy fats, opt for healthier alternatives that can seamlessly fit into your daily menu.

Ignoring these cravings may lead to feelings of loss of control, so it's important to have a list of healthy sweet foods ready to go.

Whether you choose to buy them or make them yourself, preparing these treats at home can provide a sense of calm and creativity during these stressful times.

Here are 20 guilt-free sweet options to satisfy your cravings:

1. Fruit salad: Combine a variety of seasonal fruits in one plate, perhaps with a splash of natural orange juice.

2. Fruit smoothie: Blend fresh and frozen fruits like dates, bananas, and strawberries. Sweeten with silane or honey.

3. Date and walnut pairing: A delicious combination that is both healthy and incredibly sweet.

4. Homemade granola cookies: Enjoy in moderation, as they are still cookies.

5. Quaker porridge with cinnamon: Sweeten with a touch of silan, honey, or maple syrup.

6. Baked apple with raisins: Sprinkle with a little brown sugar and cinnamon.

7. Cocoa balls with nuts and dates: Use natural cocoa powder for a healthier twist.

8. Personal halvah: Opt for a smaller portion size to indulge without going overboard.

9. Slice of bread with tahini and silan: A simple and sweet treat.

10. Slice of bread with jam.

11. Crisps or slice of bread with honey or silan.

12. Fruit popsicles: Make your own at home or purchase them.

13. Yogurt muesli with granola and a teaspoon of honey or silan.

14. Personal bag of crunchy dried apples.

15. Low-sugar dried mango strips.

16. Dried pineapple without added sugar.

17. 2-3 cubes of dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content.

18. Tahini and Chocolate Cuts: Mix raw tahini with melted dark chocolate, freeze, and break into small pieces.

19. Meringue kisses: Made from egg whites and baked on low heat. Consider adding almond slices for almond cookies.

20. Wholemeal or spelled flour pancakes topped with fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Yael Dror, a clinical and physiological dietitian M.Sc, from the nutrition team at Medix Medical Center, recommends these healthy sweet options to help satisfy your cravings without compromising your health during these challenging times.