Food challenge contest week #89|| For kids and parents| Teach The Kids/Kids Food Challenge|

One of the latest fads in healthy eating is healthy desserts. I'm a fan of trying to adapt our favorite recipes using better quality products. However, I strongly believe that healthy eating is not only about the quality of food, but also about its quantity. I would say that achieving the goal of being healthy and in good shape is a combination of quality food consumed in healthy amounts.

However, many people, in their desire to satisfy their appetite, deceive themselves that as long as real and quality food is used, then one can eat unlimited. And then, they get quite frustrated that they supposedly deprive themselves of dough, chocolate, etc., but they don't have any results. Before we condemn a certain way of eating, we need to be honest with ourselves about whether we are overdoing something and whether we have modified it in a way that does not support our goals.

I often see my colleagues and friends tempted to eat one or two healthy candies or a spoonful of homemade chocolate after every meal. When you eat 4-5 times and after each meal you add a healthy dessert, the quantity and calories become a lot. Determine what your goals are. The actions that will get you from one goal to the second are not the ones that will help you get to the third. In other words, if you have been binge eating and are very overweight, then it is most important to change the quality of your food. Quantity will come second. If you've been eating donuts, waffles, sandwiches, chips, etc. every day, removing these foods and replacing them with all kinds of healthy alternatives probably won't hinder your progress. First, because it is more difficult to eat such a huge amount of healthy food, because it is filling enough and does not have empty calories - that is, when you eat it, the body gets the necessary micro and macro elements and this sends satiety signals.

Second, this faster satiety means you consume fewer calories than you would with your unhealthy diet; it improves your hormonal balance and this affects the way you look and feel. And last but not least, behavior is largely a result of our biochemistry. Unhealthy food leads to unhealthy behavior. Quality food changes our biochemistry in a way that makes us act differently and in a positive way.

It is a misconception that fat people need less food to lose weight. In fact, they expend more energy to keep their larger body functioning. The problem with them is what they digest and how they use the food - in this direction, work must be done.

Not all healthy desserts, and generally sweet foods, need to be put under the common denominator. One of the main things you need to consider is what their macronutrients are, or in other words, their protein, fat and carbohydrate content. Protein is one of the macronutrients that must be present in sweet foods to be satiating enough (not just for an hour or two, but for a longer time). Fat and carbohydrates are the variables and usually have an inverse relationship – ie, the more carbohydrates there are, the less fat should be present and vice versa. I'm not saying cut out one macronutrient because I'm a proponent of taste as a complex and multisensory sensation.

Determine the frequency with which to consume the desserts. The more protein a dessert contains and the greater the difference in the ratio of fats and carbohydrates, the more often you can consume this food. And vice versa – the less protein it contains and the closer the ratio of fats and carbohydrates, the less often you should consume this food.

Last but not least, aim to use as little dried fruit as possible and choose more fresh fruit. Dried fruits, in most cases, also have added sugar. They are not as filling as fresh ones, and since the volume of food is also important when we eat to feel full, fresh fruits also contain more water, which also creates a feeling of fullness and volume :)

If you also want to show off your culinary knowledge and tips, please join this contest and participate!
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