High Calorie Sweets
“High Calorie Sweets” was written by Amanda Crowe, MS, RDN, CD & edited by Ashlee Mikles, RD, CD, CLS. Final review/edit completed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN.
Do High Calorie Sweets Have to be Full of Sugar?
When you think of having a sweet treat do you think of sugar? High calorie sweets do not always have to be packed with sugar to be enjoyable or satiating. Adding protein and fiber to your sweet treat can help make you feel fuller for a longer amount of time.
Fruit and High Calorie Sweets
Fruit is a wonderful way to add some sweetness to your diet without going overboard on sugar. Plus, it has vitamins, minerals, and fiber! Fiber found in fruit can help keep your blood sugar in check while also giving you the “full” feeling for longer.
Strawberries, raspberries, and peaches pair up nicely with cream to make a yummy treat. Minimal, if any added sugar is needed to enjoy this treat.
¼ cup of heavy cream has about 200 calories (plus any additional calories from the fruit that you choose), and less than 2 grams of sugar.
A banana or apple with a spoonful of peanut butter might bring you back to your childhood but this high calorie sweet is a fantastic protein treat to grab-and-go.
A banana or medium apple with 2 tablespoons of lower sugar peanut butter is about 330 calories and 2 grams of added sugar.
Shredded coconut with dark chocolate can hit your sweet spot instead of a candy bar.
¼ cup of coconut (shredded or flaked) plus 1 oz of chocolate is around 250 calories. If you are really craving a candy bar, then try melting the chocolate over the coconut. Yum!
Nuts and High Calorie Sweets
Nuts are an easy way to boost calories, and they also offer a host of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats! This means added health benefits for you when you eat them.
Walnuts are versatile when cooking. They can be added to baked goods such as brownies and you can use them as a topping on things like an apple crisp. Walnuts can also be blended up in a smoothie or chopped and added to the top of your smoothie for a tasty crunch.
Breakfast is not the only time to eat cereal – it can also fit into the high calorie sweets category.
A bowl of granola with slivered almonds, berries, full fat yogurt, and a little honey makes an excellent snack during the day or at bedtime. Plus, it can add around 437 calories for the day (depending on food brands and portion sizes).
Dark Chocolate and High Calorie Sweets
Dark chocolate can be an acquired taste, but it is definitely one worth acquiring. It also has many health benefits in addition to fitting the bill for high calorie sweets.
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
In order to get the greatest benefit of eating dark chocolate, it is recommended to eat dark chocolate that is at least 70%. If starting at 70% is too bitter for you, then try dark chocolate at a lower percentage like 50%. Try working your way darker chocolate/to a higher percentage.
Dark chocolate has been known to help with reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, reducing heart disease, and reducing the risk of diabetes. Because of the strong flavor of dark chocolate, less is needed to feel satisfied after eating.
One ounce of dark chocolate contains 156 calories, 2 g of fiber, 13 g of sugar, and vitamins such as vitamin A, several B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin K. It also contains calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and selenium.
Incorporating Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate can be eaten by itself as a chocolate bar, or it can also be used to top other desserts to make it a high calorie sweet treat.
Chocolate and fruit make a nice pair.
Melt the chocolate and drizzle it on top of the fruit, dip the fruit in the chocolate, or mix the fruit into the melted chocolate.
If you are short on time, then take a bite of dark chocolate with a bite of fruit to make a quick sweet treat.
Smoothies or milkshakes are other places where you can add some dark chocolate. Think of a banana, dark chocolate, peanut butter smoothie, or add a drizzle of dark chocolate to your milkshake.
Cacao powder can be used instead of a dark chocolate bar for ease of mixing.
High Calorie Sweets Ideas
Let’s be honest, sometimes you may want something that is full of sugar to satisfy that sweet tooth. Our advice is to watch your portion sizes and consume in moderation.
Sugar has 4 calories per gram of sugar, so high calorie sweets will not necessarily have a lot of volume.
Serving Sizes for High Calorie Sweets
Sometimes it can be easier to drink our calories as opposed to eating them. Diet soda contains zero calories, but regular soda contains as many as 135-195 calories per 12 oz can.
A king-size candy bar can contain 150-300 calories per bar. Sometimes a protein bar can have just as many calories as a candy bar and taste just as delicious. Check out our article on The Best High Calorie Bars for Weight Gain to learn more!
Cookies can be deceiving when you look at the labels. Gourmet cookies from a bakery can have a serving size of 4 servings per cookie! Who really wants to cut their cookie into quarters and share with three of their friends? Enjoy that whole cookie!
High Calorie Sweets Recipes
Cooking from scratch allows you to control what goes into your food, plus it can be fun and relaxing. Our sister website High Calorie Recipes has several recipes for high calorie sweets if you are looking to make your own sweets.
Here are a few of our top picks:
Conclusion
High calorie sweets can be part of a healthy diet. Just remember to eat them in moderation. They do not always have to be full of sugar to be enjoyable (or to be considered “sweet”).
High calorie sweets that include fruit, dark chocolate, and nuts can also have many health benefits and can help you feel satisfied and fuller for longer.
What are your favorite high calorie sweets?
When it comes to high-calorie foods, sweets should be given attention. They’re fine in moderation but shouldn’t be a focal point of any diet.