5 Fresh Summer Desserts That Won’t Wreck Your Hormones
There’s no denying that dessert is one of the best parts of life. But when you’re trying to keep your hormones in balance, it can be tough to find sweet treats that don’t contain unhealthy ingredients. Never fear – these five delicious dessert recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth without spoiling your hard work! Whether you’re craving something chocolatey, fruity, or just a sweet snack to munch on, we’ve got you covered. So get ready to indulge guilt-free with these delicious recipes!
Balancing your hormones can be tricky, but you’re not alone—learn more about the Superwoman Circle.
If you have symptoms like irregular periods, mood swings, sugar cravings, fatigue, or hair loss, there’s a good chance that some of your symptoms are due to an underlying hormones balance, such as:
- PCOS
- Estrogen dominance
- Thyroid issues
- Perimenopause
- Adrenal fatigue
And since all these types of hormone balance issues are directly impacted by diet and lifestyle choices, the foods you eat really matter when it comes to healthy hormones.
When you get a craving for something sweet, it’s important to still be able to indulge without setting yourself back in terms of feeling good. In other words, you don’t want to spend the rest of the day after eating dessert in a fatigued or irritable state—which can happen if you’re eating a lot of refined sugars in regular desserts.
Here’s the most important parts of a hormone-friendly dessert:
- Nutrient-dense. Some foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote healthy hormones, while others are just empty calories, full of sugar and other additives. The best desserts for hormone balance contain nutrients, as well as satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Naturally sweet, low in sugar. Too much sugar is never a good thing for your hormones, and you’ll actually notice the effects pretty immediately, especially if you struggle with PCOS. Too much sugar spikes blood sugar and can make you sleepy after meals, and constantly crave more sugar. Try to aim for desserts that are lower in sugar, and use natural sweeteners where possible.
- Don’t contain refined carbs or a lot of processed ingredients. If you take a look at any grocery store aisle full of sweet foods, you’ll notice a lot of ingredients that are preservatives, and highly refined sugars and starches. Not only are these empty calories (no nutrients), but a lot of them are known endocrine disruptors, which means they interfere with normal hormone function. If you’re going to enjoy something sweet, keeping it simple and avoiding ultra-processed foods is always a good ideal.
When making a dessert that won’t mess with hormones, I also look for foods that are higher in fiber (for a healthy gut), and it’s a bonus if I can use fresh, seasonal ingredients. During the summer, there’s a ton of fresh fruit available and this makes the easiest and tastiest desserts for hormone balance!
Here are some of the best desserts for hormones.
Strawberry Basil Frozen Yogurt
This light and refreshing summer treat is easy to make, but tastes gourmet, thanks to the addition of sweet basil. Unlike frozen yogurt that you buy at the store, which contains a high amount of sugar and other ingredients that can disrupt hormones, this one will let you indulge your sweet tooth while still protecting hormones.
Reasons your hormones will love this frozen yogurt:
Strawberries are naturally sweet and higher in fiber. They contain vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants that are great for hormone health, making this strawberry frozen yogurt one the healthiest treats you will ever have. Strawberries also have special phytonutrients, anthocyanins and flavonols, that are anti-inflammatory, protective, and may help reduce the risk of some diseases (1).
You can make it super fast. In less than 5 minutes you can have a fresh, creamy, sweet treat. All you need to do is pop the ingredient in a blender or food processor, and enjoy!
Strawberries – Use frozen strawberries for the best texture, and to be able to serve immediately.
Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt will give this recipe extra protein, and added creaminess, but you can also substitute it with regular plain yogurt.
Honey – If your strawberries are a little tart, a dash of honey can help for extra sweetness. Or, you can substitute for monk fruit sweetener which won’t spike blood sugar. You’ll also need fresh lemon juice.
Makes about 4 servings
What you’ll need:
- 4 cups strawberries, frozen
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons honey (depending on how sweet or tart your strawberries are)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To make:
Add the frozen strawberries, yogurt, honey, and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Don’t overblend, as it will become runny.
Serve immediately, or transfer the frozen yogurt into an airtight container or loaf pan and freeze for 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop.
Related:Â Top Antioxidant Foods for Glowing Skin
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
Chocolate lovers, this one’s for you! Dark chocolate raspberry truffles are indulgent and rich, with their creamy texture and delectable fruity notes. These truffles are so much easier than you might think, as they don’t require any baking, and only have a few simple ingredients. They can easily be made vegan, and are naturally gluten-free. The only thing you should be picky with here is to use high quality, dark chocolate—meaning it’s at least 70% cacao.
Reasons your hormones will love these truffles:
Chocolate is actually good for hormone balance. Cacao, the main ingredient in dark chocolate, is a good source of two hormone-balancing minerals, magnesium and iron. Magnesium is especially helpful right before your period to help your mind and body relax, and iron helps your blood carry oxygen and nutrients all throughout your body.
They’ll boost your mood. Chocolate has been shown to lower stress hormones like cortisol, and increase mood-boosting hormones like serotonin and dopamine (2).
Chocolate and raspberries are a perfect match, and in this recipe you can use either heavy cream, or full-fat coconut milk to make them vegan and dairy-free.
You’ll need a shallow saucepan, medium mixing bowl, a melon baller (or tablespoon measuring spoons), and a baking sheet.
Makes about 12 truffles
What you’ll need:
- 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 4 oz heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
- ½ cup cacao powder (for dusting)
- Optional: handful of fresh raspberries, diced
To make:
Place chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Pour heavy cream (or coconut milk) into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Once you see it begin to steam and form small bubbles on the side, remove it from the heat and pour over the chocolate.
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the cream to melt the chocolate, then stir to fully combine. This mixture should be extremely smooth.
While it’s still warm, add the raspberry preserves, and fresh raspberries if using, and stir to combine. Then, place the chocolate mixture in the fridge for about an hour to set up.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a silicone mat. Take a melon baller or a spoon to scoop out bite-sized portions of chocolate. You can make your truffles smaller or larger, depending on your preference. Use your hands to roll the chocolate into balls, and place them on the baking sheet. Once all the truffles are on the baking sheet, place in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
Place cacao powder in a small bowl. Drop each truffle in the powder and roll to coat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Looking for more ways to chill out? Chocolate may be a great way to help you relax, but so is Serenease.Â
Ginger & Turmeric Gummies
Gummies are the perfect in-between-meals snack, but store-bought gummies are usually high in processed sugar and only masquerade as healthy options. Instead, these homemade, good-for-you gummies are packed with anti-inflammatory, gut-loving ingredients.
Apple cider vinegar and turmeric are great for hormone balance
These gummies contain apple cider vinegar, turmeric, and ginger, which are all not only healthy for gut health and digestion, but hormone balance too. Apple cider vinegar signals your stomach to produce stomach acid, which helps break down food and absorb nutrients. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which makes it a great help for those with PCOS or other inflammatory issues (3).In Ayurveda, these ingredients are popular to support well-being and digestion.
To give the gummies their chewy texture, this recipe used grass-fed gelatin, which is rich in collagen and the amino acid glycine. High-quality grass-fed gelatin supports hormone production, as well as sleep, and a balanced mood. Gelatin is good for gut health, hair, skin, and nails, as well as to support collagen production in the skin.
As you can see, most of the gummy ingredients help reduce inflammation and support gut health, which is key for hormone balance. These gummies are great to make on the weekend, and enjoy them all throughout the week.
What you’ll need:
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 ½ cups water, divided
- 3 ½ tablespoons gelatin powder
To make:
Heat apple cider vinegar, grated ginger, honey, ground turmeric, spices, and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat, and pour the liquid through a mesh strainer to catch the grated ginger pieces. (This step is important, as leaving them in may prevent the gummies from completely setting up.)
In a small bowl, add the remaining ½ water and slowly sprinkle in the gelatin while stirring. Most of the gelatin will dissolve in the water. Then, add the gelatin mix to the warm vinegar liquid and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Pour into an 8×8 glass baking dish, or you can use a gummy candy mold if you have one. Chill, covered, in the fridge at least for hours and up to overnight.
Once gummies are set, cut into 2-inch cubes and serve. To store, keep in a covered container in the fridge.
No Bake Maca Cacao Brownie
No dessert list would be complete without a yummy, fudgy brownie—and this one is perfect to satisfy your cravings. Aside from being naturally sweet and chocolatey, these brownies are a good source of minerals like magnesium and healthy fats. Along with cacao, we are adding maca, which is an adaptogenic root to support overall hormone balance and vitality.
Makes 12-15 brownies
What you’ll need:
- 1½ cups pitted dates
- 1 cup water
- 3½ cups walnuts, divided
- 1½ cups cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon maca root powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup reserved date liquid
- Pinch sea salt
To make:
First, soak the dates in 1 cup of water for about 15 minutes. Don’t discard the date water. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
While the dates are soaking, add 3 cups of walnuts, cacao, maca, cinnamon, and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse into a fine crumble. Mixture should be uniform, but not clump together. Transfer to a medium sized bowl.
Then, add the dates, ½ cup of the date water, vanilla, coconut oil, and honey to the food processor. Puree into a smooth paste, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated.
Add date mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press batter into the baking pan.
Add the remaining ½ cup walnuts to the food processor and pulse into small pieces. Sprinkle evenly atop brownie.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 8 hours. Once brownies have set, cut into squares and serve.
Learn more: Maca Is The Hormone-Loving Herb That’s Even Great for Libido
Candida-Friendly Key Lime Pie Bites
Nothing says summer like a tangy, chilled key lime pie. And these key lime pie bites are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth without disrupting your hormones, and are perfect for PCOS.
Why they’re great for your hormones:
Eating a healthy dessert gives you so much freedom to indulge without having to mess up your hormone-healthy diet. These key lime bites are low in sugar, and the ingredients won’t fuel Candida growth in the gut, which I often see in my patients with PCOS. To learn more about Candida causes, symptoms, and diagnosis, check out my recent post here.
Keeping blood sugar in a moderate range is key to managing PCOS symptoms naturally, and since the crust is made with healthy fats and a little bit of fiber from the sunflower seeds and shredded coconut, there’s not a lot of carbohydrates to spike insulin and blood sugar levels.
The smooth creamy filling uses soaked raw cashews, lemon juice and lemon zest as its base, and has a fresh citrus flavor that makes the dessert delicious without being too sweet.
Makes 12 bites
What you’ll need:
For the crust:
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 ½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- â…“ cup coconut oil, melted
For the filling:
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight, then drained)
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- ½ cup lime juice (from about 6 key limes)
- 1 Tbsp lime zest
- â…“ cup monk fruit powder, or other sweetener of choice
To make the crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners
Add all crust ingredients except coconut oil to a food processor and process into a fine meal. Add the coconut oil and pulse until just combined.
Distribute evenly among muffin tins and press down with a glass or spoon to flatten. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
To make the filling:
Add all filling ingredients to a blender and blend on high (or puree) until creamy and smooth. Adjust flavor as needed—adding more lime zest/juice for more tart, or more sweetener.
Pour filling into muffin tins until it almost reaches the top of the paper liner. Once you’re done filling each spot, tap the muffin tin on the counter to release any air bubbles. Top with a sprinkle of lime zest for garnish, and loosely cover.
Freeze for 2-4 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer for 10-15 minutes to thaw slightly before serving.
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