When embarking on a weight loss journey, it's natural to wonder if your favorite treats have a place in your new eating plan. Cheesecake, with its velvety texture and sweet taste, is at the top of many people’s favorite desserts list. The question on everyone's mind is whether cheesecake can be a part of a weight loss regimen. The answer is not a simple "yes" or "no." Like many treats, moderation is key. A slice of cheesecake can be enjoyed occasionally without derailing your progress.
Understanding Cheesecake's Nutritional Profile
Cheesecake typically consists of a layer made with cheeses - usually cream cheese, ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese - plus eggs and sugar. Some cheesecakes have a bottom crust that’s made from crushed cookies like graham crackers or pastry. Classic cheesecake is usually flavored with vanilla extract, but cheesecakes come in other flavors as well, from chocolate to pumpkin spice.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that traditional cheesecake is high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates. After all, its main ingredients are cheese, eggs, and sugar. However, there can be some nutritional differences between cheesecakes, depending on what they’re made with.
Most cheesecakes are high in fat and carbs and provide a bit of protein from the dairy products and eggs used in the recipe. Because they’re sweetened, cheesecakes typically contain a large amount of added sugar.
Cheesecake vs. Other Desserts
Let's face it, cheesecake isn't exactly a low-calorie dessert. A typical slice can pack a substantial amount of calories, often stemming from sugar and fats. However, this doesn't mean you need to bid farewell to this delectable dessert. While cheesecake might not win any awards for being the healthiest dessert, it's important to keep things in perspective. Many desserts share a similar nutritional profile when it comes to calories, sugars, and fats. Cakes, pies, and pastries can also contribute to calorie intake.
Read also: Guilt-Free Chocolate Treat
When comparing cheesecake to traditional cakes, the former might have a slight advantage. Cheesecake's richness often means smaller portions are satisfying, while cakes can lead to larger servings due to their lighter texture. Again, portion control is key.
The Potential Benefits (Yes, Really!)
Believe it or not, there can be some benefits to enjoying cheesecake, even during weight loss efforts. Calcium, a mineral essential for bone health, is found in abundance due to the dairy content in cheesecakes.
Carbs, Fats, and the Cheesecake Equation
Cheesecake is a dessert that contains both carbs and fats. The crust, typically made from crushed cookies or graham crackers, contributes carbohydrates, while the creamy filling brings in fats from cream cheese. Remember that not all carbs and fats are created equal.
The Downsides of Traditional Cheesecake
Most cheesecakes are high in calories, fat, and sugar. If you eat sweets like cheesecake too often, it could negatively affect your health in a number of ways.
High in Calories
Cheesecake is typically made with high calorie ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream, and butter. For this reason, cheesecake can pack in a surprising amount of calories. Even though having a slice of your favorite cheesecake on occasion won’t significantly affect your body weight, eating cheesecake and other high calorie desserts too often can lead to unwanted weight gain. Consider sharing a slice with a friend or eating half of your slice and taking the other half home to freeze.
Read also: Low-Carb Cherry Dessert
Rich in Sugar
Most cheesecakes are high in added sugar, with many containing well over the recommended amount of daily added sugar in a single slice. Consuming too much added sugar can harm your health in many ways, from elevating your risk of liver disease to increasing levels of harmful visceral fat located in your abdominal cavity, surrounding your organs. High levels of visceral fat are linked to increased disease risk, including the risk of cardiovascular disease, in both adults and kids.
Highly Processed Varieties
Homemade cheesecakes are usually made with simple ingredients like eggs, cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. On the other hand, commercially-made cheesecakes can contain a number of ingredients like fillers, stabilizers, and artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors, which some people prefer to leave out of their diets. In general, ultra-processed foods like commercially-prepared cheesecakes should be limited in any healthy diet. Diets high in ultra-processed foods have been linked to a number of health issues, such as an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Making Cheesecake Healthier: Smart Swaps and Recipe Ideas
If you’re a cheesecake lover, you may wonder whether you can make cheesecake a bit healthier by changing up the ingredients. Also, some people may want cheesecake recipe options that better align with their dietary preferences, such as paleo or low carb.
Fortunately, there are a number of recipes that use lower amounts of sugar and swap in some more nutritious ingredients to create delectable cheesecake-inspired desserts. And for those who can’t tolerate dairy, there are ways to make cheesecake dairy-free - and vegan, too!
Dairy-Free Cheesecake Recipes
Many people love the taste of cheesecake but want or need to avoid dairy. Fortunately, there are ways to make creamy cheesecake without the dairy. Keep in mind that just because a product is vegan or paleo, it doesn’t necessarily mean the food is “healthy.” Vegan products can contain just as many calories and grams of sugar as traditional cheesecake.
Read also: Pumpkin Cheesecake Keto Recipe
Here are some delicious dairy-free cheesecake recipes for those who can’t - or choose not to - consume dairy.
- Paleo Cheesecake: This Paleo Cheesecake recipe is dairy-free and grain-free. It gets its creaminess from coconut milk and cashews and is a perfect choice for those following paleo diets.
- Vegan Cheesecake: If you’re looking for a versatile vegan cheesecake recipe, try out this 7-Ingredient Vegan Cheesecake recipe. The simple recipe can be flavored with peanut butter, bourbon caramel sauce, or blueberries to suit different taste preferences.
Low-Carb Cheesecake Recipes
For people following lower carb diets, cheesecake can be a dessert option, as long as it’s low in carbs and gets its sweetness from sugar alternatives like monk fruit. These low carb desserts can be good options for those with diabetes as well.
Here are a couple of low-carb cheesecake recipes:
- Keto cheesecake: This keto cheesecake recipe uses ingredients like almond flour, cream cheese, eggs, and monk fruit to create a delicious, low carb cheesecake. It provides just 5 net carbs per serving, making it a perfect choice for a sweet, keto-friendly treat.
- No-bake keto cheesecake bites: If you’re not a fan of baking, try out these no-bake Keto Cheesecake Bites. They’re made with low carb ingredients and contain only 1 gram of net carbs per serving.
A Healthier Cheesecake Recipe: Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
This healthy cheesecake is so smooth, rich, and creamy, you won’t believe it’s made with Greek yogurt! No sugar needed, it’s elegant and guilt free! It’s the perfect quick and easy dessert to make when you’re trying to be good but NEED something sweet. No sugar and no butter are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is extra smooth and creamy, and incredibly rich.
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt- Non fat or low fat Greek yogurt.
- Cream cheese- Not fat cream cheese, preferably from a block, not a spread.
- Granulated sweetener of choice- Any granulated sweetener can be used.
- Homemade sugar free cookies for the crust (optional).
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F.
- Start by preparing the crust by mixing the crushed up cookies with the melted butter.
- Transfer the mixture into a springform cake pan and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.
- Next, add the cheesecake filling ingredients into a high speed blender and blend well, until smooth.
- Now, place the cheesecake into the oven and bake at 170C/325F for 45-50 minutes, or until it has set in the middle.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely, before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, to firm up.
- TO STORE: Cheesecake must always be stored in the refrigerator, covered.
Low Calorie Cheesecake Recipe
A cheesecake is probably the only dessert that can perfectly balance a ton of flavors and satisfy every sweet craving you’ve ever had. The only thing that could improve a perfectly velvety, sweet and tangy cheesecake is if it was lower in calories without compromising taste. Well, that’s exactly what this low calorie cheesecake recipe is! This low calorie cheesecake is not only super easy to make, it is one of the nicest cheesecakes I’ve ever had. This recipe requires no water bath for the easiest cheesecake ever! And you only need 9 ingredients to make it!
Ingredients:
- Rich tea biscuits / graham crackers
- Stevia
- Reduced fat butter
- Philadelphia lightest
- Egg
- Fat-free yogurt
- Vanilla
- Lemon juice
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Start by making the crust. In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, melted butter and stevia until combined. The texture should be crumbly.
- Transfer the crust to a 6-inch cake tin lined with parchment paper.
- Make the cheesecake filling as the crust cools by combining the egg, cream cheese, yogurt, stevia, vanilla extract and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.
- Sift in the flour and mix again until well combined.
- Transfer the batter to the cake tin, I prefer straining it in to ensure there are no lumps.
- Carefully Place the cheesecake in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge to set for at least 2-3 hours. Overnight is preferred.
- Once the cheesecake is set, slice and enjoy!
Tips for perfect cheesecake:
- Use room temperature ingredients - Ingredients that are all the same temperature incorporate better. That means you’ll be less likely to over-mix the batter to get a smooth, silky cheesecake! Leave the egg, cream cheese and yogurt out to reach room temperature before making the cheesecake.
- Don’t over-mix the batter - Over mixing the batter only leads to one thing - cracks! No one wants to see cracks all over your cheesecake so make sure you whisk just until the ingredients are well combined and no more.
- Strain the cheesecake batter - If you see any lumps in your batter, it’s better to strain it rather than continuing to whisk which risks over-mixing the batter. By straining the batter, you get all the lumps out without over-mixing!
Moderation is Key
Although these recipes are helpful alternatives for those following specific diets or for people who want to cut back on added sugar, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying traditionally-made cheesecake once in a while. If cheesecake is your favorite treat, then enjoy it! Just be sure to limit cheesecake in your diet as you would any other high calorie, sugary dessert.
Many foods aren’t created for health benefits. Rather, they’re meant to be enjoyed in small amounts for their taste and texture. Just like other desserts like ice cream and pie, cheesecake shouldn’t be consumed for its nutritional value. Sure, cheesecake does contain nutrients like protein, calcium, and selenium, but it’s also rich in calories and high in fat and sugar, meaning it shouldn’t make up a large part of your diet.
As long as you’re following an overall nutritious eating pattern while enjoying cheesecake on occasion, it won’t have a major effect on your health. On the other hand, eating sweets like cheesecake too often can harm health and increase disease risk. If your diet is high in foods and drinks like cheesecake, candy, soda, and ultra-processed snack foods, it’s best to cut back on these products and replace them with nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes. This can help reduce your risk of health conditions linked to high added sugar intake and excess calorie consumption, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
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