Eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean that you need to give up desserts. If you are making a conscious effort to eat balanced meals throughout the day, you have room for some fun food or what is referred to as “discretionary calories.”
Discretionary calories are the calories that are left over after all your nutrient needs have been met. This accounts for up to 10% of our daily calories. This is where desserts often come into play because desserts are generally sweet dishes that are consumed at the end of a meal.
An easy way to think about how many calories we can use towards dessert is to think of our calories as a monetary budget. We get a set number of calories per day that we need to spend on “essential” nutrients (our must-haves) and the leftover calories can go towards “extras” (things we want).
Just like our bank accounts, the extras might be less than we would like. This typically tends to be between 100-300 calories per day to go towards dessert. This could be cakes, cookies, ice cream, or even something savory such as popcorn. When eating a balanced diet, this amount of dessert is often enough to satisfy any cravings you might have. These discretionary calories can help so you don't feel like you are depriving or restricting yourself.
Do keep in mind that if you have specific health conditions, you may need to be mindful of how much additional fat or sugars you are consuming. For instance, someone with heart disease may need a lower-fat dessert, whereas someone with diabetes may need a lower-sugar dessert. Work with your healthcare provider on your personal needs.
Now that you know you have room for dessert, make sure to make it intentional, and savor every bite without feeling guilty when consuming it within your budget.