7 Sweet Desserts that are Surprisingly High in Protein: Dirty Bulk Desserts
Increasing protein intake is one of the keys to building muscle[1]. It’s no secret that desserts are the last thing you would be recommended to eat when you’re trying to increase your protein intake. The classic high-protein foods are primarily meat and eggs. With that said, desserts are definitely the first thing some of us crave to eat, and some sweet treats after a meal feeds the soul. While we treat ourselves, especially on a dirty bulk, it might be worth noting which sweet treats will help us get even more protein into our diet. Since we’re going to treat ourselves, we might as well take advantage of a little extra amino acids. Here is a list of 7 favorite sweet desserts that are high in protein to eat during a dirty bulk:
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- Cheesecake
- Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gelato
- Ice cream
- Custard
- Meringue
- Peanut butter cups
Why These Desserts Made the High-Protein List
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a popular and delectable dessert that’s also high in protein, with 300-500 calories and 7-10 grams depending on the type and size. The primary ingredients in cheesecake that contribute to its richness in protein are cream cheese and eggs. If making homemade cheesecake, you could even replace some ingredients to create slices with up to 20 grams of protein. Replace the sour cream or heavy cream with plain greek yogurt and swap out some of the flour for protein powder for more protein without hurting the taste.
Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cakes with cream cheese frosting are popular and many people don’t think about how protein rich they might be. Red velvet cake and carrot cake are two popular, delicious desserts that have a high protein content. Red velvet cake is the middle ground between a chocolate and vanilla cake, but the frosting is unique in that it’s cream cheese and not butter cream. Carrot cake can have even more protein than red velvet cake if it’s made with nuts mixed in. Although the protein and calorie content varies, note that the cream cheese and eggs in both cakes and nuts in carrot cake contribute to their higher-than-normal protein content.
Gelato
The most popular Gelato, Talenti, is available at many convenience stores and grocery stores such as Whole Foods. In their vanilla flavor, there are around 260 calories and 5 grams of protein per serving (which is about one third of a pint). What differentiates gelato from ice cream is that it is smoother, usually has no eggs, and it contains more milk than cream. Therefore, the main ingredient in gelato that contributes to its protein content is milk.
Icecream
Icecream is widely available everywhere and its protein content will drastically differ depending upon the brand, the flavor, and the ingredients used. Unlike gelato, it is “unhealthier”, meaning that its fat and calorie content are usually higher. However, it does have more protein than most desserts. In one serving (one third of a pint) of Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla flavored ice cream, there are 330 calories and 6 grams of protein. The main ingredients that contribute to its protein content are cream, milk, and egg yolks.
Custard
A defining characteristic of custard is egg yolk. Any custard-based dessert will have a higher protein content than most desserts. For example, crème brûlée, flan, and custard pie are all custard based. Custard pie has a smooth custard filling in a pie crust, flan is a soft and bouncy dessert with caramel, and crème brûlée is a smooth custard dish with crunchy caramelized sugar on top. Custard gets most of its protein content from egg yolks and milk. Although protein content in these desserts will vary, egg yolks have nearly 3 grams of protein and milk is protein rich too.
Meringue
Meringue-based desserts are founded on egg whites. Any meringue-based dessert will have a high protein content compared to other junk foods. Some examples of meringue desserts are french meringue and lemon meringue pie. French meringue is the most simple, which just involves whipping egg whites and sugar and baking it. Lemon meringue pie uses an egg-yolk curb lemon filling and egg-white meringue as a topping, making it surprisingly protein-rich.
Peanut Butter Cups
Last but not least, the nuts in peanut butter cups give it its high protein content. This is the same reason you may hear baklava praised for its high protein content; it has pistachios, almonds, and walnuts. Desserts with nuts, such as chocolate peanut butter cups, will have a higher protein content than most desserts and candy. For example, A pack of Justin’s Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups has 230 calories and 4 grams of protein. As you might have guessed, the peanuts, milk and cream contribute to its high protein content.
Review
Life is about balance; health is 80% about eating chicken and rice, and 20% about the fulfillment of classic happy foods. Everyone enjoys a good dessert, and the extra calories can help out if you’re trying to gain weight with a high metabolism[2], especially on a dirty bulk. It is important to remember, however, that not all calories are the same. Note that excessive sugar can have negative health effects[3], so it’s important to maintain that balance between nutrition and satisfaction. Some of the best, sweet desserts that are high in protein to eat during a bulk are: Cheesecake, cake with cream cheese frosting, gelato, ice cream, custard, meringue, and peanut butter cups.
References
[1]Wu G. (2016). Dietary protein intake and human health. Food & function, 7(3), 1251–1265. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5fo01530h
[2]Van De Walle, G. (2020). What is bulking? Steps, diet, and more. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bulking
[3]Prada, M., Saraiva, M., Garrido, M. V., Sério, A., Teixeira, A., Lopes, D., Silva, D. A., & Rodrigues, D. L. (2022). Perceived associations between excessive sugar intake and health conditions. Nutrients, 14(3), 640. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030640
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