How to beat sugar cravings with a delicious apple cake

The school year has just started, and I have already noticed that my kids are eating more and more sugar. Here, a sweet bun, then a friend brought some wafers and dessert at grandma's, and they always want something sweet for their second breakfast. That's why I suggested a simple apple cake without any added sugar. They were happy to take it to school, too.

Research shows that we have too much sugar in our diet, and this applies to both children and adults. Excess sugar leads to overweight, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. We all know this, but cutting down on sugar in the diet is difficult.

Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet requires daily attention, and even small changes matter. What do dietitians recommend paying attention to?

• Read labels. Choose products with lower sugar content. Remember to be cautious of items labeled "no added sugar" because sugar might be listed under other names such as sucrose, glucose-fructose, or corn syrup.
• Cut out sugary drinks. In addition to sugar, they contain a range of other substances. The best alternative to sugary drinks is water, which contains no additives.
• Replace sweets with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and kernels. Another step is to replace sugar with other spices, such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla, which add a sweet flavor to dishes.
• Use natural sweeteners like stevia or xylitol but in moderate amounts. They are also suitable for homemade cakes.

Fall is the time for apple pies. These baked goods can be made with little sugar or by substituting it with sweeteners. Naturally, sweet fruits will make it so that no one will even realize they have no sugar! My husband and kids were delighted with the taste of this simple cake with fruits and nuts.

Ingredients:

• 3 apples,
• 7 ounces whole wheat flour,
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon,
• 1 teaspoon baking powder,
• ½ teaspoon baking soda,
• ½ ounce wheat bran,
• 5 ounces xylitol,
• 2.5 ounces chopped walnuts or hazelnuts,
• 7 fluid ounces of unsweetened almond milk,
• 1 egg,
• 2 fluid ounces of oil.

Preparation:

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into pieces.
2. Pour the almond milk into a bowl, add the egg and oil, and mix until combined.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, bran, xylitol, and nuts in another bowl, and mix.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and briefly mix with a spoon until combined. Add the chopped apples and mix again.
5. Transfer the batter to a loaf pan (12x5 inches) lined with parchment paper and smooth the top.
6. Place it in a preheated oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit using the top-bottom function for about 60 minutes.