We all know that for the sake of our health, we have to lay off the desserts. But that's easier said than done for a sweettooth like myself. I pretty much always crave something sweet after dinner ... blame my mother for always having some sort of dessert on the go. But you can eat well and get your fix of sweet stuff -- AOL has these suggestions of sweet things that aren't loaded with fat and at under 100 calories or less each, won't hurt your waistline either. As for me, my favourite dessert is some yummy fruit -- mango is my absolute favourite -- or some chocolate, in small proportions of course. Dark chocolate is particularly healthy, and chalk-full or antioxidants.

What are your favourite sweet and healthy treats?

Don't fret -- there is hope. You don't need to completely abolish sweets from your diet to live your healthiest, according to this article. What you do need to do is make healthy choices and consume stuff in moderation. In particular, stay away from cakes and that you haven't made yourself because they'll likely be full of refined sugars and flours, not to mention harmful fats. Instead, make healthy desserts at home (the article has some recipes) or opt for some fruit or dark chocolate.

What's your favourite healthy dessert? Or what do you miss the most?

Virgin olive oil being named one of the healthiest sources of dietary fats, and rich in heart healthy antioxidants called polyphenols -- why not replace the butter in your baking, so high in saturated fat, with delicious, nutritious olive oil?

Try rich chocolatey olive oil brownies!

You'll need:

2 ½ cups Walnut pieces
1/2 lb Bittersweet chocolate (also heart healthy!)
10 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Eggs
3/4 cup Ground Almonds
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 cup All purpose Flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x10-inch rectangular baking pan.
2. Coarsely chop walnuts. Break chocolate into pieces and place in the top of a double boiler to melt. Add olive oil and stir. Remove from heat. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine eggs, ground almonds and sugar. Add to melted chocolate and stir to blend.
4. In another bowl, combine baking soda and flour. Sift into chocolate mixture. Stir to blend. Add walnuts and stir again.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes, then transfer to cool completely on rack. Best served cold.

Makes 20 small brownies. Enjoy!

An interesting study released recently in the Journal of Physiology and Behaviour reports a genetic link to like and dislike of foods in children, in addition to socialized taste. For example, children like to eat meat and fish because of inherited genes. A taste for fruits, vegetables, and sweets, however, is determined by parental influence. The study was initiated with the intent of discovering how some people end up with poor nutritional skills in an effort to prevent obesity, which is linked to increased occurrence of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Researchers studied over 200 pairs of same-sex twins, comparing 103 identical sets and 111 non-identical sets. The idea behind studying twins was that identical pairs share the same genes, so any difference in their individual tastes would have to be linked to environmental influence and not their biology. Researchers then asked the mothers to identify their childrens like or dislike of 77 different foods in the categories of meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, and sweets.

The results were that genetics played a large role in deciding whether the children liked or disliked meat and fish. However, genes did not have much say in whether or not the children liked certain fruits, vegetables or sweets-- suggesting that a taste for any of these foods is attributed to how they are regarded in the home environment. One way parents can ensure early healthy dietary choices is to show their children a preference for fruits and vegetables with enthusiasm, always keeping them plentifully stocked at home. Making good future diet choices is also supported by limiting exposure to sweet treats, as well as not highlighting them as something coveted and desirable.