Health library

July 7, 2025—Do you love dessert—but not the thought of adding high amounts of sugar and fat to your diet? There's a healthy solution: Make fruit the main ingredient.

Nature's bounty

It's no secret that fruit is an essential part of a healthy diet. Fruit is low in calories, fat and sodium. And it provides your body with important nutrients, such as:

• Vitamins A, C and E.
• Potassium.
• Folate.
• Fiber.
• Antioxidants.

But most Americans don't get the recommended number of servings every day, says The Foundation for Fresh Produce. That's why adding more fruit to your meal can be both a delicious and a healthy choice.

Simple sweets

Fruit's natural sweetness can satisfy your sugar cravings without adding a lot of empty calories, so why not incorporate it into your dessert rotation? These ideas from the American Diabetes Association will help get you started making delicious treats with minimal fuss.

Sorbet. This classic dessert is a mixture of frozen pureed fruit and simple syrup—a 1:1 ratio of water to dissolved sugar. Use any fruit or combination of fruits you want. All you need to do is blend the fruit until smooth, adding simple syrup to taste. Then transfer it to a container and freeze it.

Fruit popsicles. Make these the same way as you make sorbet; just press the pureed fruit into popsicle molds. Experiment with adding other ingredients, such as plain yogurt or chopped fresh mint.

If you don't have molds, try dipping whole strawberries into yogurt, placing them on a lined baking sheet, sprinkling chopped nuts on top and freezing until the yogurt is solid.

Grilled or baked fruit. These cooking methods bring out even more of fruit's sweetness and flavor. Try topping grilled peaches with fresh basil or baking pineapple spears.

Banana "ice cream." This dessert has less sugar and fat than regular ice cream, and it's still delicious. Place frozen banana slices into a blender with cow's milk or coconut milk until smooth, then freeze it a little longer before serving. Experiment with adding other frozen fruits to the blender too.

Tip: If your favorite fruit isn't in season, use frozen fruit. It's been picked at the peak of ripeness and is just as nutritious as fresh fruit.

When fresh fruit is in season, don't worry. Our interactive guide can help you choose and store your favorites—or even discover new ones.

Sources

• American Diabetes Association. "How to Turn Fruits Into Dessert." https://diabetesfoodhub.org/blog/how-turn-fruits-dessert.
• The Foundation for Fresh Produce. "Healthy Summer Desserts." https://fruitsandveggies.org/blog/healthy-summer-desserts.