Dark chocolate, cool refreshing jelly, creamy smoothies, frozen desserts, fresh-baked muffins – mmmmm. Every once in a while, I get a craving for certain foods which are considered taboo by some health purists. What do you do when you get similar cravings?

Life would be pretty sad if we couldn’t enjoy little treats. There’s really no reason why you can’t give in to temptation occasionally, provided your diet and lifestyle habits are generally healthy. My friend Richard, a macrobiotic practitioner, agrees with me. Unless you’re allergic to certain foods or are seriously ill, your body should be able to handle little transgressions from time to time.

Fortunately, the variety of healthy – or healthier – food choices is growing. Many of them seem even downright decadent. Of course, I always read labels. If there are any questionable ingredients, I don’t buy. To be really sure that I’m getting what’s good for my body, I often end up experimenting with various recipes and whipping up my own delicious treats. My husband just loves my pineapple and orange smoothies. I also bake great muffins, like my fragrant apple-carrot-sultana-and-sunflower kernel muffins, made with no sugar, margarine or butter. Absolutely yummy.

I have a weakness for chilled jellies too, so I make mine with agar-agar, a kind of seaweed. If I feel I need to use a sweetener, I go for honey. Otherwise, fresh fruit juice and agar-agar are combined to make a really refreshing dessert.

You don’t have to deprive yourself in order to be healthy. Just be fussy about what you put in your mouth. If you must have a piece of chocolate, make sure it’s dark and made from the very best ingredients. Then just have ONE piece. If the quality’s good, that should be enough to satisfy you.

Forbidden fruit can be sweeter – and without any guilt or worry at all.