Control Your Cravings, Here's How

Crunchy, salty, sweet, creamy, and greasy—that's what most people crave when they feel the need to indulge.

So, what are some healthy choices you can make when your cravings call? Check out our list of healthy options to keep from sabotaging your healthy diet.

Crunchy

Instead of grabbing cookies, potato chips, or onion rings, satisfy your craving for something crunchy with:

  • Fresh raw vegetables. Baby carrots, sliced bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, and broccoli are all great choices. Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt, or dip them in low-fat salad dressing to amplify their flavors and satisfy your salty, creamy cravings simultaneously.
  • Fresh fruits. Grapes, cherries, blueberries, and sliced apples all pack a powerful crunch. Plus, they come in small, bite-sized pieces that satisfy your snacking urges.
  • Nuts and seeds. They're an ideal, nutrient-rich choice. Just make sure you measure them out to ensure you're not overdoing it on calories.

Salty

Instead of munching on chips and loading up on high-sodium processed foods, satisfy your salty cravings with:

  • Pretzels. Naturally low in fat and calories, pretzels satisfy salty and crunchy cravings. Even better, go for whole wheat pretzels.
  • Olives. Get a dose of healthy omega-3 fatty acids while satisfying your salty cravings by reaching for green or black olives.
  • Coarse sea salt. Sometimes, only salt will do, but instead of indulging in salt-heavy processed or restaurant foods, add a little coarse sea salt to your home cooking. It only takes a little to boost the flavor of any dish.

Creamy

Instead of ice cream, whipped cream, cream fillings, creamy dressings, and cheese- or cream-based sauces, satisfy creamy cravings with:

  • Frozen yogurt. It tastes like ice cream, but is lower in calories and fat. Plus, yogurt adds healthy probiotics to keep your digestive system balanced.
  • Greek yogurt. Higher in protein and lower in fat, Greek yogurt can be used for cooking or as a dip for fruits and veggies, and is good enough to satisfy the toughest creamy cravings all on its own.
  • Low-fat pudding. Use it as frosting, between chocolate or vanilla wafers or in place of higher calorie desserts.

Sweet

Instead of tossing back a bag of candy, an ice cream sundae, or a thick slice of pie or cake, satisfy your sweet cravings with:

  • Baked fruit. Blueberry crisp prepared with fresh or frozen berries topped with oatmeal, brown sugar, and cinnamon is lower in fat and calories than blueberry pie. Baked apples made by cutting the core out of a baking apple and filling it with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, and sugar is a healthier choice than apple pie.
  • Angel food cake. Prepared with egg whites instead of a butter, angel food cake is much lower in fat and calories than a standard cake batter. Top with fresh fruit and a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead of frosting
  • Low fat ice cream. With half the calories from fat, it's hard to tell the difference between low-fat frozen dairy products and their high-fat cousins. Choose ice cream bars with 100 calories or less, and limit yourself to just one.
  • Dark chocolate. Sometimes only chocolate will do. Choose a few squares of good quality dark chocolate. You'll kill your sweet craving and add some healthy antioxidants to your diet at the same time.

Greasy

Instead of choosing French fries, fried chicken, or pizza, satisfy your greasy cravings by baking or sautéeing instead of deep-fat frying. Experiment with:

  • Oven fries. You can still enjoy French fries if you coat raw potato slices with a tablespoon of olive oil and bake them in the oven.
  • Oven baked chicken. Coat chicken with breadcrumbs or herb-seasoned flour; then bake.
  • Homemade pizza. Use whole grain French bread or purchase whole wheat pizza dough. Top with tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, sliced veggies, olives, and a sprinkle of low-fat mozzarella and parmesan cheese; then bake.
  • Sautée veggies, meats, fish, and poultry. Using olive oil, fresh herbs, citrus juices, and low-fat marinades, enjoy all the flavor without all the fat.