RAW VEGAN DESSERTS VS NORMAL DESSERTS
Most of us enjoy having a dessert after dinner, whether it’s cake, ice cream, cookies, or some other sweet. But as much as we enjoy these treats, we all know they’re not healthy. Between the refined sugar, the butter, and the lack of nutrients, desserts’ only real benefit is their taste. But what if there were a way to make desserts at least somewhat healthier while still retaining the taste? Enter raw vegan desserts.
Raw vegan desserts are pretty much what the name says: sweets that contain no animal products and that have not been cooked. These desserts are typically free of any processed ingredients and instead contain whole-food alternatives like fruit, nuts, honey, and maple syrup. What makes these treats healthier than regular desserts?
WHY VEGAN?
Even if they’re cooked, vegan desserts already have a leg up on regular sweets because they don’t contain any animal products. Though eggs and dairy are a staple of the Western diet, they pose multiple health risks, especially when eaten in excess.
Almost all normal baked goods call for eggs, which are a major source of fat and cholesterol. While eggs are often touted as a great protein source, the truth is that a large egg (50g) packs a measly six grams of fat – while containing almost two-thirds the recommended daily value of cholesterol. It should come as no surprise that eating eggs is associated with higher risks of stroke and heart disease. Want to make your desserts immediately healthier? Start using egg substitutes.
The dairy used in normal desserts poses its own problems, especially since most baked goods call for at least one stick of butter. Like eggs, butter has massive amounts of both fat and cholesterol, and it provides even less nutritional value – there’s no question that desserts without it are healthier.
MORE BENEFITS OF RAW DESSERTS
Raw vegan desserts are also beneficial in that they typically contain no processed ingredients, and that means no refined sugar. While the merits of vegan and raw foods remain controversial, the significant harms posed by refined sugar are widely recognized. A high sugar intake is associated with everything from diabetes and cancer to tooth decay and moodiness. Plus, sugar contains no nutrients whatsoever, meaning it’s truly comprised of empty calories – which quickly leads to weight gain and obesity.
In addition, raw vegan desserts tend to rely on ingredients that are much more nutritious than those found in regular desserts. Fruits, nuts, seeds, and maple syrup are all common ingredients in raw vegan desserts, providing more vitamins and minerals than you’d find in normal baked goods. Unlike regular desserts, they won’t be full of empty calories.
All this said, raw vegan desserts are still just that – desserts. They can be quite calorie-dense, and the fructose present in fruit affects the body in similar ways as other sugars. So enjoy your raw vegan desserts in moderation and know that even if they aren’t perfect, they’re still an improvement over standard cake and ice cream.
