See Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard recipe. Warm, smooth, stewed apricots, topped with low-fat chilled custard and garnished with heart-friendly walnuts, this mouth-watering dessert is one of the best treats that a person with hyper cholesterol levels can enjoy. Apricots, with their naturally rich flavour and texture get all the more enjoyable after a simple process of deseeding and stewing. Thanks to their sweetness, it suffices to add just a teaspoon of sugar to the custard, helping restrict the calories further. Walnuts make a great garnish for the Stewed Apricots with Vanilla Custard as their mild saltiness highlights the flavours of this dessert very well. check out for many more healthy heart Desserts and low cholesterol Desserts recipes.

Is Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Milk and Low Fat Milk : 1 cup of milk provides 70% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Calcium. Milk promotes strong bones. The Calcium in Milk helps to protect your teeth against gum disease and keeps your jaw bone strong and healthy. Milk is low in carbs and therefore does not raise blood glucose levels. However diabetics must consider including low fat milk as advised by their dietitian only so as to avoid any fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Protein is another key nutrient which milk is rich in - 8.6 g from a cup. So all those looking to build protein stores can add milk and its products like curd and paneer to their diet. One cup of Milk gives 10 grams of carbs.  Low fat milk has lower fat and the same benefits of milk. 

2. Walnuts (Akhrot) : Eating a handful of Walnuts a day is said to increase the good cholesterol (HDL). Walnuts are rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids which contain high amounts of DHA which improve thinking power in adults and excellent for brain health for newborn kids. Being a good source of Folate, Vitamin B9, it’s good for pregnant women to top up their folic acid with eating a bit of walnuts daily.  As it's low in the Glycemic Index, and loaded with Fibre, it’s a good choice for Diabetics. See detailed  benefits of walnuts.

What's the problem?

1. Sugar : Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. To live a healthy life, try and cut sugar which from your diet. It requires a slow and deliberate attempt to do it. Find hidden sugar in packaged foods and drinks and stop having those products. Did you know that a can of your favourite soft drink is estimated to have 1/2 cup of sugar. Refinded carbohydrates like maida, sugar, bread, pasta, noodles and sugar on consumption get stored as unhealthy fat in the body.  

2. Cornflour ( Cornstarch) : Pros. Cornflour is easy to digest because of the presence of insoluble fiber, thus benefits the gut. It’s gluten-free and can be consumed by those who cannot afford to stock wheat. Cons. Cornflour is full of calories and carbs like refined sugar, thus a barrier to weight reduction. Those on weight loss diet must definitely not reach out for it. The high crabs makes it a No-No for a diabetic meal and restricted for heart patients. Read for more details is cornflour healthy?  

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Cornflour used to make custard powder is full of calories and carbs like refined sugar, thus a barrier to weight reduction. Those on weight loss diet must definitely not reach out for it. The high crabs makes it a No-No for a diabetic meal and restricted for heart patients. Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours.

What is a healthier Indian dessert option ?

We suggest you try low fat gajjar halwa recipe which uses dates as a sweetener and low fat milk which works well for diabetics. Make oats and mixed nuts ladoo recipe which is sweetened by jaggery or oats and dates kheer. 

Try a jowar based Indian dessert which is s a complex carb and will be absorbed slowly in the blood stream and not cause a spike in insulin. The jowar apple sheera recipe is made with the addition of cows milk and apples and sweetened with honey.

Jowar Apple Sheera, Healthy Indian Sweet

Can healthy individuals have Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard?

No.

Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard is high in

1. Calcium : Calcium  is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. Required from kids to adults.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 150 calories that come from Apricot Stew with Vanilla Custard?

Walking (6 kmph) = 45 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 15 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 20 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 26 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.