What makes desserts unhealthy

Contact us at letters time. By Markham Heid. Related Stories. Already a print subscriber? Go here to link your subscription.

Need help? Visit our Help Center. Go here to connect your wallet. This way you'll be taking in a greater dose of vitamins A and C, and phytonutrients like anthocyanins, which are found in berries.

Phytonutrients are natural compounds found in plants that can help fight and prevent disease, while anthocyanins are compounds that contain antioxidants and can help fight free radicals that harm your cells.

When it comes to dessert, it's really a matter of choosing the right one, filled with healthy lower calorie foods that can actually be beneficial. As weight loss strategies go, this one's pretty delicious: miniature desserts that let you have your cake and lose it, too. Indulging your sweet cravings every day can have disastrous effects on your health. Toby Amidor is an award winning dietitian and Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author who believes healthy and wholesome can also be appetizing and delicious.

Read more. Read This Next. Here's what to grab. More in Healthy Eating. Avoiding these fat and calorie bombs will help you stay within your daily calorie budget so you don't gain weight. However, desserts can be part of a healthy diet if you choose wisely. Many desserts are high in sugar, fat and calories. A piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting has about calories and 27 grams of fat.

This is 28 percent of your daily calories if you follow a 2,calorie diet, and 42 percent of the daily value for fat. Top that with a scoop of premium ice cream and it adds another calories and 12 grams of fat. Cheesecake is even less nutritious, with each slice of cheesecake containing about calories and 41 grams of fat, and if you eat a slice of double-crust apple pie, you are gobbling down 32 grams of fat and calories.

Dessert doesn't have to be ice cream, chocolate cake or pie. Instead, use dessert to help you get the recommended amount of nutrient-rich foods like fruits and whole grains in your diet. Basing your desserts on these foods will help you increase your vitamin, mineral and fiber intakes for the day. Bake a cored apple filled with pecans, raisins, oats and a sprinkle of brown sugar, or make a smoothie with low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit for dessert.