It’s summertime! I absolutely love simple tasty treats to cool down on a hot summer day. Homemade popsicles are one of my favorite go-to treats because they are a great way to hydrate and nourish the body at the same time! Today I’m sharing how to make Matcha Coconut Pistachio popsicles, which satisfy my sweet tooth without processed, added sugar!
Why Avoid Added Sugar?
You may wonder, what’s so bad about sugar? Processed sugars typically added to packaged foods are nutritionally empty, meaning that they contain calories without any nutritional benefits.
Some potential negatives of consuming a diet high in processed added sugars is:
- Sugar can be a hormone disruptor
- Sugar may suppress your immune system
- Sugar is addictive
- Sugar can be harmful to your teeth and cause cavities
Potential Benefits of Eating a No-To-Low Added Sugar Diet
Eating a no-to-low added sugar diet may help…
- Improve energy levels
- Improve your sleep
- Help you enjoy the sweetness found naturally in foods like fruit
- Clear your skin
- Slow down the aging process
Natural, Whole and Minimally Processed Sugars
A frequent intake of processed added sugar can be harmful to our health. However, natural, whole and minimally processed sugars can be a great alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth! Examples include sugar found in fruit, honey, real maple syrup and coconut sugar. Although these options are still sugar, they also contain added vitamins & minerals and other nutritional benefits!
Fruit: Using different fruits as a sweetener means you are also getting a dose of fiber! Fiber helps keep our digestive system healthy and working properly. Fruit also contains many antioxidants that help protect our cells!
Honey: Honey contains minerals, vitamins and trace amounts of protein. This natural sweetener may have antibacterial and antifungal properties that can be beneficial to your health.
Real Maple Syrup: Maple syrup contains some important minerals like zinc and manganese and trace amounts of calcium and potassium. It also has up to 24 different antioxidants!
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar comes from the coconut palm and contains zinc, iron, calcium and potassium! This natural sugar is considered to be low on the glycemic index.
Health Benefits of This Recipe’s Ingredients:
Today’s recipe is made with real, nourishing ingredients that also pack some incredible benefits!
Pistachio: Pistachios are one of the oldest flowering nut trees! They also contain protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, phosphorus and thiamin.
Matcha: Matcha contains 100% of green tea benefits because it is made from the entire leaf! It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which may help relax and calm the mind and body.
Coconut Milk: Coconuts are packed with nutrition! They contain fiber, vitamin C, E, B1, B3, B5, B6 and a variety of minerals. The milk is the liquid that is extracted from the meat of the coconut!
Raw Coconut Butter: Raw coconut butter is simply pureed raw coconut meat. This means it is not exclusively the fat and one tablespoon contains 2 grams of fiber!
Dates: Dates come from a date tree and are full of nutrition! They contain vitamins A, B, & D and one cup has almost half your daily intake of fiber. This sweetener keeps for long periods of time in your pantry!
Matcha Pistachio Coconut Pops
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of unsweetened vanilla coconut milk yogurt
½ cup of filtered water
1 tablespoon Organic Matcha Powder
½ cup of pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup of pistachios, shelled and chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak pitted dates in filtered water overnight.
Add dates to a blender with coconut yogurt, water, matcha powder and vanilla extract and blend until creamy.
Pour into popsicle molds 90 percent of the way full and top with chopped pistachios until full.
Freeze overnight.
Enjoy!
