Want a cookie without the guilt? Nutritionists share tips on how to read labels, identify healthy ingredients, and find delicious, satisfying options that won't derail your wellness goals.
Sometimes you get a hunger that only a warm cookie can satisfy. The best nutrition plan is one that strikes a healthy balance, and that means saying yes to the occasional store-bought dessert—after all, many of us have an undeniable sweet tooth. When you’re making an effort to support your body with healthy foods, it may seem like those cravings shouldn’t be entertained. But there are ways to find options that bring all the pleasure with less of the guilt.
“When it comes to packaged sweet treats, there are some products that are better than others,” says Sydney Greene, MS, RD, nutritionist, and coach at Greene Health. It can be easy to feel drawn to an item based on buzzwords and packaging, but you might not be getting the full picture. That’s why becoming familiar with how to read nutrition facts and ingredient lists is important for health-conscious consumers. “Shoppers should look for cookies with the shortest ingredient lists and avoid those that sound too good to be true, like ‘protein cookies’ or ‘keto cookies.’ Many times, these cookies are loaded with artificial sweeteners that can cause unwanted GI issues.” But how do you judge an ingredient list on the back of a cookie box? For indulgences like these, Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, the author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and The Portion Teller Plan, recommends taking stock of three fundamental factors: sugar, fat, and flour. “Pay attention to the added sugar content. Most brands pack their cookies with highly processed and refined sugar. High fructose corn syrup is another sweetener that should be avoided at all costs,” Young warns. “Some better sweetener alternatives are maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar. However, quantity matters most!” A good rule of thumb is to keep the sugar content as low as possible, according to Greene, ideally less than 10 grams per serving. “Another important thing to keep in mind is the type of fat in your cookies,” says Young. “Partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided as they contain trans fat.” These harmful oils can take the form of vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or margarine, and over time, contribute to high cholesterol, increased inflammation throughout the body, and cardiovascular disease. “Lastly, I will look for the type of flour being used. Most packaged cookies contain highly processed white flour, or in other terms ‘enriched wheat flour,’” Young notes. “Choosing alternative flours like brown rice flour or whole wheat flour adds more nutrients like vitamins and minerals to the recipe content.” While it’s good to be mindful of what you’re eating, being overly restrictive never pays off. We think you should have your cookie and eat it too, while taking just a little bit of time to scope out the back of the box. To take the guesswork out of your search, we rounded up these expert-approved picks. MadeGood is a B Corp-certified snack brand. And while it's best known for its granola, it also makes some excellent cookies that are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and certified organic. They even contain vegetable extracts that make them a great source of vitamins A, B6, C, D, and E. “If you are in charge of packing school lunches for a child, MadeGood cookies are an incredible option,” says Greene. “Free of many of the common allergens, one serving is relatively low in sugar compared to other brands so you’ll skip that sugar crash.” Choose from Chocolate, Double Chocolate, Vanilla, and Snickerdoodle varieties. Big box retailers like Target and Walmart carry some mini varieties of the treat. They can also be found at grocery stores like Mariano’s, Kroger, and Whole Foods. This “purposeful” snack company puts out nutritious, whole-foods-based products that are meant to be good for you and the planet. And according to Greene, the cookies are no exception. Made with almond and coconut flour, coconut oil, and coconut sugar, they're a great option for munching. “One serving of four cookies contains only seven grams of sugar from coconut sugar, which is slightly lower on the glycemic index compared to regular table sugar,” she says. Not to mention, its special flour blends offer some great nutritional benefits, adds Young. “These cookies are made with a nut and seed blend, including flax seeds which contain omega-3 fatty acids.” Just keep in mind that it’s not suitable for those with nut allergies. Buy them at stores nationwide, including grocers like Whole Foods and retailers like Target. “Who doesn’t love cookie dough that you can eat raw?” says Greene about the clean, gluten-free, healthier cookie brand. Sweet Loren’s offers eggless edible raw cookie dough in 12-ounce tubs made with sustainably sourced ingredients. The brand even makes a “Less Sugar” option in pre-cut rounds to fill your kitchen with that delicious, freshly baked cookie aroma. “One cookie contains six grams of added sugar which might top the list for cookies with the lowest sugar content,” notes Greene.
HEALTHY COOKIES NUTRITION FACTS INGREDIENT LIST SUGAR FAT FLOUR ALTERNATIVE FLOURS MADEGOOD SWEET LORENS RAW COOKIE DOUGH
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