Sugar-Free, THM-E, Low Fat
Sometimes you just get a hankering’ for some energy!
If you’re anything like me-a busy mom with lots to do, then sometimes you just get a hankerin’ for some good ole fashioned ENERGY! And sometimes, the yummy S (fatty) foods just don’t do it! You gotta have carbs!
Carbs are good. When they’re good carbs!
You may ask, “what are good carbs?”
Let’s start by looking at what the different kinds of carbs are…
Not all carbs are created equal.
There are many different types of carbohydrate-containing foods, and they vary greatly in their health effects.
Although carbs are often referred to as “simple” vs “complex,” I personally find “whole” vs “refined” to make more sense.
Whole carbs are unprocessed and contain the fiber found naturally in the food, while refined carbs have been processed and had the natural fiber stripped out.
Examples of whole carbs include vegetables, whole fruit, legumes, potatoes and whole grains. These foods are generally healthy.
On the other hand, refined carbs include sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, pastries, white bread, white pasta, white rice and others.
Numerous studies show that refined carbohydrate consumption is associated with health problems like obesity and type 2 diabetes (1, 2, 3).
They tend to cause major spikes in blood sugar levels, which leads to a subsequent crash that can trigger hunger and cravings for more high-carb foods (4, 5).
This is the “blood sugar roller coaster” that many people are familiar with.
Refined carbohydrate foods are usually also lacking in essential nutrients. In other words, they are “empty” calories.
The added sugars are another story altogether, they are the absolute worst carbohydrates and linked to all sorts of chronic diseases (6, 7, 8, 9).
However, it makes no sense to demonize all carbohydrate-containing foods because of the health effects of their processed counterparts.
Whole food sources of carbohydrates are loaded with nutrients and fiber, and don’t cause the same spikes and dips in blood sugar levels.
Hundreds of studies on high-fiber carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains show that eating them is linked to improved metabolic health and a lower risk of disease (10, 11, 12, 13, 14).
-https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/good-carbs-bad-carbs#section2
Finding the Balance
Of course, having those yummy “S” (satisfying and fatty) meals, are great. Especially when there are healthy fats (i.e. extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter, avocado etc). They definitely have their place in our diets, and that’s yet another reason I love the THM lifestyle.
With all that being said, there is still a need for healthy carbs. You have to find the balance. What works for you and your family, and also what works for your own personal health.
It’s definitely a no-brainer that growing kids need a lot of carbs. Their little bodies crave carbohydrates to function.
“Children who are 2 to 3 years old need 1 cup each of fruits and vegetables and 3 ounces of grains daily. Between the ages of 4 and 8 years, they need 5 ounces of grains, 1.5 cups of vegetables and 1 to 1.5 cups of fruit every day. At the age of 9, their daily consumption should increase to 1.5 cups of fruit, 2 to 2.5 cups of vegetables and 5 to 6 ounces of grains. When they turn 14, they need another 0.5 cup of both fruits and vegetables and should eat 6 to 8 ounces of grains daily.” -http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/carbohydrate-needs-children-8050.html
My boys are so full of energy, that sometimes I think that I can never curb their appetites. They are bundles of energy! That is why healthy carbs are so important for them to consume.
That’s where these Energy Bites come in! Easy to make and so full of healthy carbs!
The recipe
At first, I was trying to make a cookie, something that was “cinnamony” and full of yummy carbs. But this yummy recipe emerged. I asked my kids to taste test these and they were begging for seconds!
So, this recipe was born! I hope that you enjoy them as much as my kiddos and I did!
-Z
Zaneta Francis
10 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups oikos 000 yogurt
- 1 tsp butter extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup erythritol
- 3 tbs super sweet blend
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup oat fiber
- 3 rounded tbs cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup sprouted whole wheat flour
- 3 cups oats
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt flour if you want a more "nutty" flavor)
Instructions
- pre-heat oven to 350
- Mix all wet ingredients in stand mixer
- Add in dry ingredients and mix well
- Roll into balls and put on lightly greased cookie sheets
- Bake for 15 minutes
- Serve to happy kids (or hubby), or mommy!
- Enjoy!
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
