We all need protein to build muscle and maintain our overall health. And, believe it or not, your favorite sweet treats may come with a surprising amount of this important nutrient.
Different people need different amounts of protein in a day, Grace Derocha, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. Your age, gender, activity levels and health goals all factor into how much protein you should get daily, she says.
And, if you have a sweet tooth, you can take advantage of dessert to help meet those protein goals.
That said, dessert isn't usually a nutrient-dense "health food," and it doesn't need to be, Whitney Linsenmeyer, Ph.D., assistant professor at Saint Louis University and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. There's nothing wrong with eating a serving of your favorite sweet treat — added sugars, refined grains and all, she says.
While it's easy enough to add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to your favorite baked goods, you run the risk of giving those treats a "health halo" by doing so, Linsenmeyer explains. That contributes to "the perception that the cookie is totally healthy and I can have as much as I want," she says.
Instead, the experts generally recommend letting dessert be dessert while sticking to a normal portion size.
If you do want to opt for higher-protein treats, look for those that naturally contain more protein and or those that can be easily made more protein-rich by adding or substituting in nutritious ingredients. As a bonus, that may make them feel more filling and help you stick to a healthy portion size, the experts say.
Here are a few sweet, dietitian-approved ways to get more protein in your day.
Desserts that naturally have more protein:
Some treats inherently have more protein due to their ingredients, the experts say. That includes desserts made with eggs, dairy, cheese, tofu, nuts, gelatin, beans and seeds.
That includes:
Cheesecake
All the experts TODAY.com spoke to mentioned cheesecake, which contains around 7 grams of protein per serving. It can also be made with some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese blended in, Frances Largeman-Roth, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of "Everyday Snack Tray," says.
Tofu pudding
Tofu puddings offer a sweet, silky way to get protein in a dessert. For example, taho is a classic Filipino tofu dessert that typically comes with brown sugar syrup on the side so you can control how much you want, Derocha says. And, because it's tofu, "it is a full shebang of protein," she adds.
Pavlova
A sweet, delicate pavlova can contain some protein because it's made almost entirely of egg whites, Linsenmeyer says. You can top it with chopped nuts for even more protein.
Ice cream
A single serving of classic ice cream made with milk, cream and egg yolks can contain between 4 and 6 grams of protein.
Desserts made with red beans
Red bean desserts, such as the filled sesame balls you’ll find at dim sum restaurants, contain some protein from the beans, Derocha says. Halo-halo, another Filipino classic, is typically piled high with a variety of colorful ingredients including both sweetened red beans and ice cream, she adds.
Clafoutis
This French egg-based dessert is baked in a skillet with fresh fruit, Largeman-Roth says. In her recipe, which is made with apricots and sprinkled with sliced almonds, a single slice contains 6 grams of protein.
Chia seed pudding
Chia seed pudding, one of Derocha's favorites, can be eaten for breakfast or dessert. Along with the protein, it contains a large amount of gut-healthy fiber.
Panna cotta
A rich, creamy panna cotta, which is made with milk and gelatin, is surprisingly protein-rich, Largeman-Roth says.
A classic cheese plate
While a cheese plate may not be everyone's idea of a fun dessert, it does naturally come with a hefty amount of satisfying protein from the cheese, Linsenmeyer says.
Other high-protein dessert ideas:
Substitute almond flour or oat flour when baking.
When baking, consider substituting some all-purpose flour for other flours that contain more protein, like almond, oat, whole wheat or chickpea flour.
However, these flours can make baked goods feel a little heavier, Linsenmeyer says. "So my approach is to choose applications for these where that density is welcome, like in an oatmeal raisin cookie or a homemade granola bar," she explains.
Use Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream.
If you're making a dessert that comes with a whipped topping, try using a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt instead, Derocha says.
Add nuts and nut butters.
Adding chopped nuts, like almonds or walnuts, to a cookie or brownie recipe is an easy way to increase protein content. You could also opt for desserts that feature peanut butter or almond butter, like peanut butter bars.
Blend in Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to brownies or edible cookie dough.
Largeman-Roth suggests using protein-rich Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in your favorite recipes for brownies, pudding, edible cookie dough, cheesecake, muffins and banana bread. If the recipe calls for oil or butter, you can substitute some of it for the yogurt.
High-protein desserts dietitians avoid:
Dietitians tell TODAY.com that they generally don't eat pre-made desserts that are marketed as "lighter" or "healthier" versions of the real thing, like high-protein ice creams.
"I’ve tried several (artificially sweetened high-protein ice creams) and they just don’t hit the same way full-fat, sugar-sweetened ice cream does — at least not in my book," Largeman-Roth says. "I’d rather enjoy real ice cream less often than have one of the alternatives daily."
If you happen to like that ice cream that is really high in protein, that's fine, Linsenmeyer says. "But I would caution against thinking of it as a green light that I can eat as much of this as I want."
And the right dessert options may be different for people depending on their individual health goals, Derocha notes. Someone with high cholesterol or diabetes may not want to be eating full-fat, sugary ice cream every day, even if they get a little protein boost from it, for example.
"While there’s definitely a place for protein-packed desserts, I don’t think folks should forget that these are still desserts," Largeman-Roth agrees. They may be more filling than other treats, but they still contain sugar and might not really hit the spot the way you want them to.
"When you’re craving something sweet, it may be just as smart to indulge the craving and then balance out the rest of your day with lots of fresh produce and well-balanced meals," she says.