Dec 8th is National Brownie Day!

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 Few desserts are as beloved as brownies.


There's nothing more satisfying than an ooey gooey, warm, and chocolaty treat in your mouth!

Brownies, and other baked goods, have gone through a recent "glow up" in the past few years. Lots of fresh new recipes for "healthy brownies" and other treats have popped up with swaps for healthier options. 

Let's break down which healthy baking trends are HYPE and which are HEALTH. 

Fats:

Olive oil brownies

Fats in pastries provides the texture, mouthfeel, and flavor that we love in our desserts. Replacing the butter with olive oil adds heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, and reduces saturated fat. HEALTH!


Starches:

Black bean brownies

Starch is the backbone of any pastry! Replacing refined flour with complex carbs from beans can help reduce the spike in blood sugar and add some gut-friendly fiber. HEALTH!


Sweeteners:

It wouldn't be a dessert if it wasn't sweet!

Maple syrup sweetened 

Maple syrup is composed of fructose and glucose. You know what else is fructose + glucose? Table sugar. Whether you are choosing "natural" sugars or "refined" sugars, your body recognizes sugar as sugar and acts accordingly. 

PRO: Maple syrup contains the minerals calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese

CON: Maple syrup is much more expensive than table sugar

The trace amounts of benefits are negligible and are not enough to impact your overall health. HYPE! 


Honey sweetened

Fructose and glucose are also the main forms of sugar in honey, same as table sugar. 

PRO: Honey also contains trace amounts of nutrients and is lower on the glycemic index

CON: Honey is more expensive than table sugar

The trace amounts of benefits are negligible and are not enough to impact your overall health. HYPE! 


Dates sweetened

Dates are a great source of fiber, making them low on the glycemic index, which means that they have less impact on blood sugar right after eating. 

PRO: Lower glycemic index

CON: Potential change in flavor

Using dates as sweetener can help reduce the impact of your dessert on your blood sugar! HEALTH!


Finally, consider WHY you want to make your brownie healthier. 

What is motivating you to try a new way to make a brownie?

Are you trying to be "good"?
Are you trying to reduce or absolve the guilt/shame?
Do you think a healthy swap is better aligned with your goals?

Food does not have morality attached to it. Your worth is not determined by the choice you make.


What need made you reach for a brownie?

Is the need a snack because you're hungry?

Is the need a moment of pure joy into your day? 

Is there something to celebrate?

Are they just there?

Or is it another need not food related- like boredom, stress, sadness, or loneliness? If it's not a food need, what is the need you're trying to fill, and how can you ACTUALLY fill it?


Will the version you choose satisfy the need?

Sometimes, the only thing that will do is the real thing, and that's perfectly okay. Denying yourself what you truly want is not healthy either. 

All brownies have a place!



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