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Every once in awhile, especially on the weekends after following a strict diet all week, it’s nice to unwind a little bit with a cheat day food. However, many of us are in the mindset that dessert and cheat day foods are completely off limits when we’re on a diet–but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re tired of eating the same boring old health foods and pretending they’re actually delicious sweets, we have news for you: eating healthy doesn’t have to be bad.
There are a few sweet treats you can pig out on all weekend long, that also hold anti-inflammatory properties. That means that while enjoying yourself with these yummy snacks, you’ll actually be eating your way to a healthy stomach–in moderation, of course. These “cheat foods” are actually pretty good for you and won’t mess up your diet progress that you worked so hard on all week.
1. Dark Chocolate
That’s right, you can enjoy yummy, sweet dark chocolate guilt-free, all weekend long and still benefit from its anti-inflammatory properties. Dark chocolate that contains 70% cocoa or more is full of antioxidants that reduce inflammation.
Nutritional info: 170 calories
2. Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds
Both dark chocolate and nuts like almonds are packed with antioxidants that help with inflammation. Almonds especially are a great source of vitamin E, which protects your body from free radicals.
Nutritional info: 230 calories
3. Berries
Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and huckleberries, are high in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory potentials. For a yummy treat, you can eat them fresh or frozen. Try them with dark chocolate for additional inflammation-fighting powers.
Nutritional info: 50 calories
4. Yogurt
A lot of inflammatory problems are related to gut-health. For a healthier gut, try snacking on yogurt. It contains probiotics that promote positive gut bacteria and reduce inflammation. To make it more of a treat, toss in some berries and dark chocolate for an anti-inflammatory packed treat.
Nutritional info: 100 calories
For more healthy foods, check out these anti-inflammatory snacks you should eat before bed on SHEfinds.
