It’s almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t enjoy having a scoop of delicious desserts or a handful of cookies after dinner or just with evening coffee. But just as much as we love desserts, deep down, we know how threatening they could be for our health and overall well-being.
But what exactly makes desserts bad for our health?
Most of the regular desserts we can name are trans-fats, refined carbs, and the lack of highly calorie-dense nutrients. Most desserts made out of refined white sugar, white flour, and trans fat quite literally serve high cholesterol and diabetes on a plate! The dairy used in regular desserts like butter, cheese pose massive amounts of both fat and cholesterol and even less nutritional value.
But there are alternative ways to make desserts at least somewhat healthier without really compromising the taste. Here’s the solution- vegan desserts!
100% dairy and animal fat-free vegan desserts rely on quality plat-based, whole-food ingredients like fruits, nuts, maple syrups, honey and so on, very close to their natural states. That means vegan dessert provides us with the maximum nutritional potential we could get from any healthy dessert ingredients.
In this article, let’s talk more about how vegan desserts treat the healthiest alternatives to traditional desserts by retaining the same taste and sweetness.
Vegan desserts are products without animal ingredients like milk, butter, egg, or honey. However, they do not use any plant-derived ingredients to achieve the same full-bodied and satisfying flavours that you appreciate. Almond milk, coconut oil, flaxseed, and maple syrup, are among the substitutes used. In contrast to conventional desserts that tend to involve heavy creams and added sugars, vegan desserts call for nutritious ingredients that are naturally more beneficial to the body.
Unsaturated fats are one of the essential components of a healthy diet that are found mainly in vegan dessert ingredients. Not just lowering LDL cholesterol levels, foods with unsaturated fats also helps with controlling inflammation, building more robust cell membranes in the body and reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Ingredients used in desserts are enriched with nutritional value and unsaturated fatty acids.
Let’s check some of those vegan ingredients-
Dietary fibre, also recognised as roughage or bulk, is a necessary food component. Unlike other food components such as carbohydrates, proteins or fats- your body doesn’t digest fibre. With adequate fluid intake, your body can easily break down the fibre, absorb and pass relatively intact and move down your digestive tract and out of your body.
Many research studies show that adequate fibre intake helps tremendously reduce the risk of chronic diseases, obesity, and diabetes and so on. Doctors also recommend consuming the right amount of fibre daily as well. Common vegan dessert ingredients like dates, strawberries, raspberries, oranges, pear, apples with skin, bananas, whole grains, beans, legumes etc., are high in fibre and many other nutritious values.
If you are lactose intolerant or have a dairy-free diet but have a sweet tooth, vegan desserts are your 100% guilt-free treat. Despite not containing any milk, dairy products, eggs or animal gelation, Vegan desserts- DO NOT compromise with a luscious, mouth-watering taste most healthily and organically possible.
Milk is creatively replaced and prepared by plant milk like oat milk, rice milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc. Other dairy products like yogurt, cream, and cheese are replaced by tofu and many other organic, non-perishable ingredients. You don’t have to negotiate the taste of sweet goodness, even while positively impacting our health, environment and animals.
Plant-based components are far less carbon-intensive than animal products and vegan desserts are therefore a more environmentally sustainable option. The dairy and other animal product food production usually demands a large amount of water, land and energy. With the use of plant-based options, we are able to save precious resources and emit less greenhouse gas.
Apart from the issue of environmental damage, vegan desserts conform to ethical food philosophy. Omitting animal-source ingredients is conducive to animal welfare by minimising the demand for factory farming and its cruelty. This small but impactful decision can have a great impact, it's a marker of change towards more humane food systems.
With the increase in eco-friendly food habits, vegan desserts that are as yummy as they are healthy feel more achievable than ever. Whether you’re indulging in a creamy coconut milk ice cream or a decadent chocolate avocado mousse, each bite becomes an opportunity to make a difference.
Eating a vegan dessert is a tasty act of social responsibility for doing good to good on behalf of the planet, while sticking to your convictions. Accumulative effects of incremental decisions, such as substituting conventional fare with related plant-based items, may produce considerable far-reaching environmental and ethical effects in the decades to come.
The vegan confectionery segment is expanding, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.43%. At USD 3745.17 million in 2022 (future insights), it is predicted to reach USD 7169.63 million by 2028. This demand is due to the wide array of savory vegan snack food products. Vegan chocolate, for example, is comprised of plant-based beverages like almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk that give a creamy, decadent feel without an animal component.
These chocolates–bars,–truffles,–and–chocolate–nuts/frutti. The process comprises roasting and grinding cacao beans with sugar and emulsifying agent, like lecithin. Vegan candy is free from animal ingredients, being replaced with plant sources of pectin, agar-agar and carrageenan for chewing and fruit, sugars and syrups for pleasant taste and mouth feel.
Since then, grocery stores have responded to the demand boost by increasing their inventory. Shelves now contain vegan chocolate items, candies, and baked goods developed for vegans. Not even all shops have already started to give vegan versions of more commonly consumed items, such as candy bars, chocolate chip cookies, etc., as a response to the increasing popularity of veganism cater to "mindful consumers. Additionally, online portals have contributed to a rise in the popularity and availability of vegan confectionery.
Vegan dessert products do not contain those ingredients from animals, like dairy products, butters, or eggs. But, they prefer plant-derived substitutes such as almond milk, coconut oil, Flaxseed and natural sugar substitutes such as maple syrup. These ingredients are generally cholesterol and saturated fats low, allowing nutritional features such as unsaturated fatty acids, fibre intake, and vitamin requirements..
Yes, vegan desserts can also be just as tasty as conventional desserts. With the high-quality, plant-based ingredients such as ripe fruit, nuts, and creamy plant-based milks, plant-based recipes approximate the flavours and textures of traditional desserts while maintaining the taste.
Absolutely. Plant-based desserts are suitable for lactose-intolerant people, egg allergy sufferers, those on diet, who are dairy-free, or those on a plant-based diet. Vegetarian recipes are often gluten and soy-free as well, providing a choice that can adapt to many dietary requirements.
Vegan desserts have a less ecological impact than desserts containing animal products. Plant-based foodstuffs need less water, land, and energy to make, and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing vegan desserts supports eco-friendly practices and animal welfare.
Everyday vegan dessert ingredients include almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, avocado, nuts (cashews and almonds), (flax and chia) seeds, maple syrup, agave nectar and unsweetened cocoa powder. These ingredients are nutrient-rich and provide health benefits all whilst making enjoyable, filling desserts
There are several advantages to vegan sweets, including health benefits, environmental sustainability, and alignment with personal values. You may indulge your sweet hunger and uphold your moral principles by choosing these guilt-free delights.
Vegan confectionery is a tasty option that supports a more humane world, as it is consistent with compassion for animals and a reduction in their environmental footprint. The good ingredients of these sweets also deliver a nutritional advantage that promotes general health and wellness. Vegan treats that are guilt-free are a treat!
So, to all the dessert lovers out there, power through with luscious vegan desserts! You can replicate any sweet delicacy with an endless number of natural, organic and not to mention healthy vegan dessert ingredients. Pud for All Seasons offers delicious gourmet vegan and gluten-free puddings all over Melbourne. Contact us to try out their delicious homemade puddings online.
