Ohhh!  Four questions on the worthiness or effectiveness of “Paleo Desserts”! I get it:  how can sweets made with almond and coconut flour, which aren’t low fat or calorie free, be good for us?  We’ve been told for 25 years that if we want to “cheat”, we need to either eat the fake low cal/low fat stuff, or make it a “real” cheat day and just go for it, then diet later.  How’s that working out for America?

Here’s a few reasons why desserts made without grains and sugar are actually good for you.  One, they’re made without grains and sugar, two of the MOST ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES IN THE WORLD.   According to both old and new research, foods made with flour and sugar are MORE desirable than cocaine in rat, mouse, and human studies.  It makes sense:  these substances trigger “opioid / pleasure” centers in your brain.

Most of us know this feeling:  we have a cookie or a piece of cake, and it sets off a craving for more, independent of how full or hungry we are.  What about moderation?  I admit that works for some people ( that number’s getting smaller as more and more people develop food addictions), but not most.  Alcoholics and Drug Addicts can’t “moderate” their substance abuse, they have to stay away from it because even a little bit triggers the desire.  It’s the same with flours and sugars.  It doesn’t take much. Heck! It doesn’t even take putting it in your mouth!  Sometimes the THOUGHT/SMELL/SIGHT of foods made with flour and sugar set off the desire. That’s how powerful they are.

Reason 2:  unless you’re allergic to nuts and eggs, Paleo desserts won’t trigger or cause inflammation, headaches, stomach bloat, immune suppression, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, high bad LDL, or any of the other illnesses, mood disorders, or diseases that Grains and Sugar cause.  As a matter of fact, if Nutrient Density is your goal, most of the desserts are pretty Nutrient Dense.  Eat foods that are Nutrient Dense and your BODY RUNS BETTER.

Reason 3:  eliminate foods with Grains and Sugar, up your Fat and Protein,  and your ENTIRE APPETITE DECREASES.  Honest.  The constant hunger, the eating every couple of hours, the obsessive thoughts of food, they disappear when you’re not consuming carbs that burn up in a few hours.  Ping-ponging Blood Sugar has BAD consequences for our weight and our health.  I get all my Nutrition clients to buy Glucometers and test their blood sugar.  I do it too.  Trust me, these Paleo Desserts DON’T MESS WITH THE BLOOD SUGAR, and that’s a BIG DEAL.  We Want Even Blood Sugars ALL DAY LONG.  Eliminate flours and sugars and that happens.

All behavior is BELIEF DRIVEN.  If you don’t smoke, it’s because you think smoking is gross and deadly.  If you don’t drink, it’s because you know hangovers hurt, and you could do something real dumb while you’re drunk.  If you don’t do Heroin or Cocaine, it’s because you know they’re dangerous.

Believe This:  Grains and Sugars are deadly and fattening.  (Let this be your MANTRA this week.) Every time and for every body, even kids.  Become Passionately Averse to them, and life becomes so much better:  weight, mood, inflammation, hormones, etc etc etc.    Drop your fear of fat.  Your body is made out of Water, Fat, and Protein.  Carbohydrates are used to build nothing. We need some carbs for energy and vegetables and fruits supply more than enough.

Back to the original question, are Paleo Desserts really better than Normal Desserts?  YES!! Speaking of Paleo Desserts, if you’re in the area, I’m having a Paleo Indulgences Christmas Party Friday, December 13, from noon to 2.  Everyone’s Invited!  Need recipe ideas?               All Day I Dream About Food, PaleoOMG, and Elana’s Pantry are great places to start.  It’s wonderful to be able to indulge without the bloat, the guilt, or the food hangover.  Trust me.

Here’s a pic of some Peanut Butter cookies I made last night, which were EXCELLENT! Here’s the recipe .