10 tasty foods for dieters

Changing your eating habits to lose weight can be hard, but there are certain treat foods you can eat in moderation that will satisfy your cravings without busting your diet to pieces!

Custard

OK, so the steamed pud you might want to eat with it might not help with weight loss, but custard is surprisingly low on the GI scale, so can be enjoyed in moderation without piling on the pounds.

Try it poured over berries, a sliced banana or over porridge for a satisfying treat.

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Dark chocolate

Aside from being relatively low in fat, dark chocolate has other health-giving properties, too. It contains flavonoids and antioxidants, and eaten a few squares at a time (not an entire bar!) it can give you the sweet treat you crave without spoiling your diet.

Look for chocolate with at least 70 per cent cocoa solids.

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Nuts

Unsalted nuts provide you with a high-protein, low-fat snack, so keep an assortment handy for when you get the munchies between meals.

Add in a few sultanas or raisins for a sweeter treat. Watch your portions sizes if you’re trying to lose weight, though: a small handful should be enough to stave off hunger.

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Pancakes

Make your own pancake mix and you can treat yourself to this delicious snack any time you like. It’s not the pancakes that contain the sugar and fat (unless you buy the ready-mixed preparations that contain added ingredients) – it’s what you put on them.

So instead of eating them with sugar or maple syrup and lemon, substitute the sugar for a little no-added-sugar fruit spread or granulated sweetener.

The lemon itself lowers the GI value of pancakes, so sprinkle away!

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Greek yoghurt

Plain yogurt can be a bit unappetising, especially as it can have a slightly sour taste, but if you choose 0 per cent fat Greek-style natural yoghurt, you’ll find it has a creamier, more satisfying texture.

It’s even better if you add in a handful of porridge oats or a bit of blitzed fruit, such as canned peach or pineapple (but make sure to choose fruit that’s been canned in natural juice, not syrup).

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Popcorn

Plain popcorn is a very low-fat food and, unless you buy the sweetened or salted varieties, it’s a great choice of snack.

To make it more appetising, try sprinkling it with a little low-sodium salt and a shaking of vinegar.

Try other combinations, too: cracked black pepper instead of vinegar, or a bit of cayenne pepper and lemon juice.

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Ice cream

If your evening meal doesn’t feel complete without pudding, you could do worse than having a small serving of plain ice cream (although obviously without the chocolate sauce or marshmallows!).

It has a medium rating on the glycaemic index (GI) so doesn’t upset your blood sugar levels much and is fine as an occasional treat. Look for low-fat, low-sugar brands.

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Bananas

A banana is a great snack food for when you’re trying to lose weight. It figures low on the glycaemic index (GI) and provides important nutrients including potassium.

Bananas are also rich in vitamins B6 and C as well as containing dietary fibre.

Try them whizzed up with a little semi-skimmed or skimmed milk; sliced on to a crispbread or chopped and added to low-fat yoghurt.

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Fruit spread

Look for fruit spreads that contain no added sugar: these are sweetened only by the naturally occurring fructose found in the fruits they’re made from.

Spread them on to wholemeal bread or rough oatcakes, or stir a teaspoonful into natural yoghurt to make a healthy fruit pudding.

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Peanut butter

OK, it’s high in fat, but it’s also high in protein and a little bit goes a long way.

In fact, eating a small amount of peanut butter – spread on a crispbread, piece of toasted rye bread or rough oatcake – can help to stave off hunger pangs really effectively, so giving in to this nutritious treat can actually prevent you from over-indulging in other less healthy snacks.

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Want better skin, a stronger skeleton, or a slimmer waistline? There's a food pairing out there that can help you get it.