Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth

• From SouthBeachDiet.com

Eating a healthy diet way means enjoying delicious foods — even sweets! Enjoy up to 100 calories of sweet treats (made with sugar substitutes such as aspartame, saccharin, or Splenda®) daily. Here are some foods that Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of the South Beach Diet®, recommends for satisfying your sweet tooth:

• Sugar-free gelatin
• No-sugar-added Fudgsicles
• Sugar-free hard candies
• Sugar-free Popsicles
• Sugarless chewing gum
• Chocolate powder, no added sugar
• Sugar-free, caffeine-free carbonated sodas
• Sugar-free, caffeine-free drink mixes (like Crystal Lite)

One word of caution: Some sugar-free foods contain sugar alcohols, which provide sweetness and texture. These additives (look in the ingredient list for words ending in "ol," such as mannitol and sorbitol) can often have a laxative effect. Some people are more sensitive to this than others, so take note of your reaction to foods that contain sugar alcohols. The limit on sweet treats should help reduce any side effects.