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How I Broke My Sugar Addiction + Protein Mug Cake [Recipe]

Posted by Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD on July 16, 2015
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Looking back on my childhood, there was never a time when desserts were not an option. This may sound ideal, but in reality it only created a bad habit for my future lifestyle.

Breaking a sugar addiction is not easy for anyone. Sugar is like a drug — it comforts you for a brief period of time until it’s worn off, leaving your body wanting more.

If you continue to provide sugar, you will continue to crave sugar!

Being that sugar was a staple during my childhood, this made it difficult when entering adulthood and beginning my studies in dietetics. I battled the desire for sugar during the first part of my college years where there was a part of me that needed it and the other part of me that knew the consequences.

Throughout my studies, I learned how to modify desserts along with following the phrase: “The less you provide the less you will want,” which helped guide me in eliminating sugar from my life.

I became educated on nutrition, and I learned what healthy eating can do for the body — not only externally, but also internally. I began reducing dessert intake by eating fruits, cutting sweet tea (it’s a southern thing), and replacing my main entrée with lean protein rather than a ton of starchy foods.

I saw the physical changes that my body was undergoing, as well as the mental stamina that I acquired. No, I was never (and still am not) perfect, because perfect just doesn’t exist. However, by reducing my dessert intake and practicing modifying recipes to make them healthier, excess sugar intake is not near as appealing to me.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy wedding cake or birthday cake when the occasion is right, but it’s not an everyday enjoyment, and it’s certainly not one that I need.

How to Transition to Healthier Dessert

If you struggle with the same addiction that I once had, practice healthy eating in place of dessert intake. Try replacing those unhealthy desserts with a healthier version of that dessert. A few ways to transition an unhealthy dessert to a healthier version include:

  • Replace all purpose flour with whole wheat flour
  • Replace regular sugar for a sugar substitute
  • Replace high-fat milk with reduced fat milk or unsweetened almond milk
  • Pro Tip: My favorite desserts always include protein powder, which will bump up the protein intake automatically in your recipe and keep you full longer!

How I Broke My Sugar Addiction + Protein Mug Cake [Recipe] | Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD | Improving Health blog by CareATC, Inc.Protein Mug Cake 

Try my delicious Protein Mug Cake recipe. I took a regular mug cake and transformed it into a healthier version.

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

CAKE
  • 1 Tbsp Almond Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Wheat Flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 15g protein powder (This is usually ½ scoop of protein powder)
  • 1 egg or 2 egg whites
  • 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • ½ Tbsp dark chocolate morsels (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp Stevia
  • ¼ tsp almond extract
GLAZE
  • 1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Stevia packet

Directions 

  1. Spray inside of a large coffee mug with canola oil cooking spray.
  2. Fill mug with cake ingredients, mix together, and microwave for about 1 minute. You will want to watch the cake because it will rise as it cooks, and the last thing you want is an explosion of cake in your microwave.
  3. For the glaze, mix Natural Peanut Butter, Greek Yogurt, and 1 Stevia packet.
  4. Top cake with glaze and voilà, you have breakfast or dessert!

Nutrition

About 28g Protein, 18g Carbohydrates, 13g Fat

Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD

About The Author

Marla Richards, MS, RD, LD

Marla has a longstanding passion in wellness and healthy living. After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas and completing the dietetic internship in 2011, she embarked on her professional career in wellness, working for an integrated health and wellness facility in Northwest Arkansas.

Post Topics Healthy Eating