A cookie a day keeps your heart in place

Thank goodness Friday has arrived – treat yourself to something sugary. You  deserve it.

I am an advocate of sweets; whether that includes ice cream, cupcakes, soufflés, pudding, fruit, macarons or cookies, I believe that everyone should allow himself or herself to have dessert. It’s the beginning of the year, so like myself, many people have started diets and workout regimens to look great for spring break – but we cannot limit our happiness. That joy, in my opinion, stems from having sugar in our bodies, like eating cookies.

For those who know me, aside from having a sweet tooth, I take care of my body  by exercising and eating right – dessert is the ultimate prize. I look at dessert as my little reward for a hard day’s work. Of course, I try not to over do it, but sometimes one measly dessert is all you need to get some positive, feel-good energy to carry on – putting a cherry on top, if you will.

This inspired a little saying that I created, similar to another – “A cookie a day, keeps your heart in place.” With that, you allow yourself to splurge, just a little – no, this is not cheating, but self encouragement – but also can help you become a disciplined individual in regards to diet.

Not convinced? Here’s more.

Last semester, our football team fell into a rut. Thanks to a much needed coaching change, the season ended pretty well. But I also attribute this to diet.

When Coach O took over, players weren’t asked to eat less or to eat healthier. Instead, they were allowed to eat cookies. One of Coach O’s first changes was bringing back the dessert table, making players’ lives a whole lot sweeter – their stomachs were smiling, and thanking the football gods for existing.

Cookies are one of the best desserts. If you are at a social gathering and there happens to be a dessert bar, cookies make great leftovers and are compact enough to fit in your purse, pants pocket, jacket pocket, wallet and bra – I recommend using a napkin for clean purposes.

They are easy to make and can be frozen for extended periods of time, so if you don’t want to eat them all in one sitting, you can fit their compact little bodies into plastic bags and put them away for some hibernation.

Cookies serve many purposes. They make great gifts to friends, teachers, mentors, professors and loved ones. Cookies can be turned into breads – you read that correctly – and granolas. Not the healthiest of granolas, but it’ll give you a sweet parfait.

Cookies bring people together. Ever heard of holiday cookie swaps? Valentine’s Day is coming up, so single ladies, a cookie swap with the besties is an awesome idea.

One of my favorite cookie recipes covers the chocolate craving and the healthy side of life: Kim Boyce’s Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your diet.

Alegra Hueso is a sophomore majoring in creative writing.  Her column “In Love With the Edible” runs on Wednesdays in print and Fridays online.