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.
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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.
