Sweet but Smart: How to Enjoy Treats in January Without the Sugar Crash
Some years, January feels like a fresh start. Other years, it feels like a battle between wanting better and wanting sweets. If you’re anything like the women I work with every day — busy, intentional about your health, and just trying to feel good in your body — you know this: restriction isn’t sustainable. What is sustainable? Smart swaps that help you enjoy what you love in a way that supports your energy, your gut, and your goals.
As a dietitian and diabetes educator, blood sugar balance is everything! And when I was on New Day Seattle this week, we talked about how Seattle’s unique rhythms — coffee culture, active lifestyles, grey skies — pair perfectly with sweetness that supports rather than sabotages. So today, I’m diving deeper into those swaps with you.
Why “Smart Sweetness” Matters More Than Ever
Most people start the year swinging hard toward restriction — fewer desserts, no sweet drinks, no treats. But here’s the thing: that strategy often backfires. You end up craving sugar more, feeling tired earlier in the day, and getting stuck in a cycle of energy dips and mood swings.
That’s because it’s not the sweetness that’s the problem — it’s the type of sweetness. Added sugars, especially in drinks and pastries, hit fast, spike blood sugar, then crash even harder. That’s why experts recommend keeping added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories, and organizations like the American Heart Association suggest even stricter limits of 25–36 grams per day.
But real food sweetness? The kind that comes with nutrients and fiber? That’s a different story — and that’s what smart swaps are all about.
Smart swaps give you the sweetness you want without the crash — it’s all about supporting your energy and gut health, not giving up the foods you love.
Swap #1: Coffee Shop Sugary Treats → Dates + Your Latte
If you live in Seattle, coffee isn’t a treat — it’s practically a food group. But those mornings are also when we often grab something sugary on the side. Instead, try pairing your latte with:
✨ Natural Delights Medjool Dates
or
🥣 Fiber-rich oatmeal topped with chopped dates (instead of dried fruit or sugary granola).
Or – this incredible recipe for a snickers date!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Directions
Start by slicing each date lengthwise with a small knife and removing the pit. Fill each date with about one teaspoon of peanut butter, then sprinkle roughly one teaspoon of chopped peanuts inside. Set the filled dates aside.
Place the chopped dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
Insert a toothpick into each stuffed date and dip it into the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to fully coat the date, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off.
Place the chocolate-covered dates onto a parchment-lined tray or plate. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped peanuts.
Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
Why this works:
- Dates bring natural sweetness without added sugar
- They deliver fiber that helps balance blood sugar
- You get potassium, antioxidants, and gut-supporting nutrients
- They taste like caramel — without the crash
Natural Delights Medjool Dates are literally nature’s candy. They satisfy the sweet craving you want — and give your body something good in return.
📍 Find them at Safeway, Whole Foods, QFC, or Amazon.
Swap #2: Classic Soda → OLIPOP Shirley Temple
Yes — a soda swap that’s actually good for you. Classic Shirley Temples are fun, nostalgic, and refreshing — but they’re packed with 30–40+ grams of added sugar. That’s more than most people aim to eat in a whole day!
Enter OLIPOP Shirley Temple:
🍒 Tart cherry + white grape + lemon + lime botanical juices
🌿 Prebiotics + plant fiber + botanicals
✨ Only 40 calories, 4g fiber, and a low sugar profile
Not only does it satisfy your craving for something fizzy and fun, it actually helps support gut health — something we often ignore when reaching for “comfort” drinks during grey months.
Swap #3: On-the-Go Snacking → Dates + OLIPOP
Seattle is a city that moves. Between walks in Discovery Park, lunch meetings, errands, workouts, and everything in between — we’re on the go. And that’s exactly where smart snacking matters.
Combine:
🥜 A small container of Medjool Dates
with
🥤 OLIPOP Ginger Ale (or your favorite flavor)
This combo:
- Keeps energy stable
- Curb cravings naturally
- Feels like a treat — not a compromise
- Is easy to throw in a backpack or purse
Small Swaps, Big Difference
You don’t have to eliminate sweetness in January. You just have to be intentional about it. In a city built on coffee and movement, these small changes help you feel better — not deprived.
Here’s what to remember:
✅ Smart Swap: Dates — 1–2 per day for natural sweetness + fiber
✅ Smart Swap: OLIPOP — nostalgic flavor with gut-friendly fiber
These aren’t just trendy substitutions — they’re real, everyday swaps that help you stick to sustainable habits while enjoying the flavors you crave.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Keep your energy steady, your cravings in check, and your gut happy — without giving up sweetness.
Medjool Dates and OLIPOP are two of my favorite ways to satisfy a sweet tooth with intention.
