5 Desserts to Help You Lose Weight

After a nice meal, we all get the taste for something creamy and satisfying. But too many desserts can derail your diet. Here are 5 after-dinner or late night snacks that will still let you respect yourself in the morning.

*Angel Food Cake. Light, luscious, cholesterol free and only half the calories of a slice of butter cake. Enjoy a slice with sliced strawberries or raspberries, crushed to make them extra juicy.

*Sorbet. Cool, fruity, dairy-free and more elegant than ice cream.

*Hot Chocolate. Rich, frothy and chocolaty. Add some marshmallows and you’ll feel like a kid again.

*Frozen Fruit Bar. Strawberry, raspberry, lime or lemon fruit bars are a wonderful indulgence. Look for the ones that contain 100% fruit.

*Dark Chocolate and Black Coffee. Go European and skip the latte. Enjoy a steaming cup of rich coffee with one perfect bite of dark chocolate. The perfect ending to a perfect meal. Enjoy.

Eat Chocolate to Lose Weight

Would you be surprised to hear that chocolate can help you lose weight?

Researchers at The University of Copenhagen have found that having a small piece of dark chocolate as a snack reduces cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods, and helps you eat less. In the study, participants were given either milk or dark chocolate as a snack and then offered unlimited pizza 2 hours later. Those who had eaten the dark chocolate ate an average of 15% fewer calories than those who had eaten milk chocolate. The participants also reported feeling far less hungry, and much less hungry for sweet, salty or fatty foods. So dark chocolate, in addition to being full of anti-oxidants, can help you lose weight by avoiding some common diet pitfalls.

But before you load up on the candy bars, remember that the darker the chocolate, the better the benefits. Look for minimally processed chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.  Also, chocolate is a rich, calorie dense food, so enjoy an ounce or two at the most.