6 delicious coffee break recipes - without white sugar and gluten

For anyone who wants to quit white sugar, there are so many delicious and healthy alternatives to choose from. White sugar is hidden in more foods than candy and cookies. It can be found in ready-made meals, stocks, sauces, bread, muesli, granola, flavored dairy products, and much more.

A first step toward finding out where white sugar is found is to start reading the ingredients list. 

Why is it good to reduce your sugar intake?

Unfortunately, eating too much white sugar is common and can negatively affect your health. White sugar is highly refined and gives you empty calories without nutrients, and among other things causes your blood sugar to rise quickly (followed by insulin release).

Research also shows that your gut flora can be negatively affected, partly because sugar promotes certain bacteria at the expense of others that produce important short-chain fatty acids. Since the fructose in regular sugar is largely processed by the liver, a high sugar intake can also promote or increase fat production in the liver.

A diet consisting of a lot of sugar often causes energy levels to rise and fall without stability, and overall, an unhealthy diet is also a major source of stress for the body. Repeated high blood sugar levels can also increase oxidative stress.

Overall, a high sugar intake is also linked to low-grade inflammation. And when that inflammation becomes long-lasting, it can in turn contribute to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease.

But fortunately, as mentioned, there are so many delicious recipes to try for anyone who wants to make a change and kick white sugar out once and for all. I was stuck in a sugar addiction myself many years ago, but today I have no cravings at all, which is absolutely fantastic! 

Gluten-free vegan banana cake with sorghum, buckwheat, and oats

Ingredients:

2 dl gluten-free oat flour

1/2 dl sorghum flour

1/2 dl buckwheat flour

2 tbsp potato flour

3 ripe bananas (the riper, the sweeter the cake)

3 fresh dates (use more if you want a sweeter cake)

1 dl water or plant-based milk

1/2-1 tsp cardamom, depending on the desired flavor

1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
2. Blend the banana, water, apple cider vinegar, and dates until smooth in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients in another bowl, then add the wet ingredients. Stir thoroughly (but not too much).
4. Line an ovenproof dish with baking paper. I usually use a round one that is 20 cm in diameter.
5. Bake in the center of the oven at 175 degrees for approximately 45-50 minutes.
6. Serve with delicious toppings! It can also be frozen. 

Here are 5 more of my favorite recipes that I often turn to when I crave something sweet:

Flourless chocolate cake with chickpeas

Gluten-free vegan chocolate balls

Crunchy cinnamon and cardamom cookies

Gluten-free vegan apple pie

Pear ice cream with cardamom

Which one are you most tempted to try first?