Recipes for Diabetes: Raspberry-Lemon Delight

We’ve all heard the sayings: “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.” “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.” There’s no question about it, we have a collective sweet tooth. On average, Americans consume 22.2 teaspoons of sugars every day. That adds up to 355 calories a day, 20 percent more than we were eating 35 years ago. This sugar habit is wreaking havoc on our hips and waistlines, blood pressures, and our blood sugar levels!

All sugars, whether they’re cane sugar, sucrose, or high fructose corn syrup drive up blood sugar and insulin. Plus, they provide no nutritional value other than calories. But that doesn’t mean you have to shun “desserts,” altogether.

Try no- or low-calorie natural sweeteners such as stevia or xylitol that won’t raise blood sugar levels and when a craving for sweets arises, try a little low-glycemic fruit. The following recipe, from The Whitaker Wellness Weight Loss Program, combines raspberries, lemon, and stevia for a delightful and blood-sugar friendly sweet treat.

Raspberry-Lemon Delight

A sugar-free way to satisfy your sweet tooth

(Serves 1)

Ingredients

¼   cup part-skim ricotta cheese

¼   cup raspberries

1    teaspoon lemon juice

¼   teaspoon grated lemon peel

1    drop vanilla extract

4    drops of stevia to taste

Directions
Mix the ricotta cheese, raspberries, lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl, mashing the berries with a fork. Add stevia to taste.

Per serving: calories 104, protein 7 g, carbohydrates 7 g, fiber 2 g, fat 7 g, sodium 77 mg.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a favorite low sugar dessert?

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