Low Carb Desserts
Who says low carb means no sweets? Even with prohibitions against sugar, grains and processed foods, the good news is it is possible to satisfy a craving for dessert while being low carb! We find ways to add a little sweetness into our lives every day! In fact, our low carb desserts are way better than sugar filled ones, and we can prove it!
Below are a ton of keto desserts (low carb dessert recipes) with the best assortment of ingredients. Most importantly – they’re keto-friendly and oh so sweet!
Why Low Carb Desserts?
It turns out that limiting carbohydrates and emphasizing fat contribute to weight loss and overall good health. Understanding the body’s fuel priorities explains this phenomenon. Carbohydrates are the cheap, go-to source of energy for your body. As carbs get digested, they convert to glucose (sugar) and are burned for fuel. If you consume too many carbohydrates, no other macronutrient (protein or fat) get used so your fat lingers and even adds on if you fail to burn all your carbs.
Restricting carbs forces your body to burn its stored fat, creating ketones, another source of energy the body can use (instead of glucose). When this occurs, the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, i.e. burning fat-derived ketones instead of carb-derived glucose. It’s a much more efficient metabolic state which will result in the reduction of the stored fat and longer lasting energy without the ups and downs of blood sugar levels.
Beyond weight loss, minimal carbohydrate intake is connected to significant improvement in general health. In fact, many indications of risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, various forms of dementia and epilepsy—to name a few—are greatly reduced after eating low-carb consistently.
With all of the positives, you might just forget about dessert altogether. The good news is that you don’t have to.
Healthy Sweetener Can Help the Waistline Go Down
Any keto desserts that make the carb cut will likely be sweetened with something other than sugar. That’s why our low carb desserts incorporate a variety of sugar substitutes, among them sugar alcohols. These are so named because their molecular structure resembles sugar yet they are neither digested nor metabolized as sugar. Of the most often used is stevia, a natural sweetener that results in nearly no insulin secretion—as opposed to sugar that spikes a sharp insulin response. Likewise, erythritol stimulates a lower insulin response than sugar. Each of these substances produces a sweet taste very close to sugar yet neither converts to glucose or interrupts ketosis — a must when eating low carb desserts.
Gratifying the Sweet Tooth (Within Limits)
Keto desserts are as varied as non-low carb desserts themselves: from brownies and chocolate mousse to ice cream and key lime pie. Adding low-sugar fruit like berries also expands your choices, adding dishes like blueberry cheesecake and raspberry ricotta crepes to the array of delicious options. With all of these appetizing prospects, though, you should bear in mind one caveat: just because sugar alcohols are not sugar does not mean they can be consumed without limits. While they are better for teeth and have little to no calorie content, they can be harder on the digestive tract when eaten beyond one or two servings. Probably the best rule of thumb to follow is to give your cravings just enough sweets to tame them.
