Popular Desserts To Avoid If You Want to Stay Healthy

It can be hard to resist dessert at the end of a meal. While there's nothing wrong with an occasional treat, before you indulge in sweets nightly, you should be aware of which desserts might not be a wise choice. The Centers for Disease Control advises that even losing a modest amount of weight will help lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, which reduces your risk of developing many chronic diseases and health conditions.

To compile this list of popular desserts to avoid if you want to stay healthy, 24/7 Tempo consulted numerous health sources including Harvard Health, the National Institutes of Health, and Medical News Today. Weight loss is not just about exercise, it is also about paying attention to what you eat. Consuming plenty of healthy food and avoiding unhealthy foods can give huge health benefits.

This post was updated June 12th, 2025, to reflect additional information.

Here are popular desserts to avoid if you want to stay healthy:

• Nutrition Facts: One slice of chocolate cake has 424 calories and 44 grams of sugar

You could argue that dark chocolate has some health benefits. It contains many antioxidants, which are linked to a lower risk of heart disease. However, that does not mean that you can over-indulge on chocolate cake. It contains so much sugar that this calorie-laden treat is best limited to parties and special occasions.

• Nutrition Facts: One brownie sundae has 914 calories and 84 grams of sugar

The only thing more comforting than a warm chocolate brownie is one topped with vanilla ice cream. This dessert may seem innocent enough, especially if shared with a friend. But considering the amount of calories and sugar in just one of these desserts, sharing with one friend isn't enough. The combination of brownie with creamy ice cream makes a brownie sundae one of the most fattening desserts.

• Nutrition Facts: One banana split has 852 calories and 71 grams of sugar

There may be some fruit in a banana split but that does not make it a healthy food. Bananas on their own provide slow-release carbs and plenty of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and other important nutrients. The problem is this dish has plenty of unhealthy ingredients. It is packed with calories and contains far too much sugar.

• Nutrition Facts: One molten lava cake has 660 calories and 47 grams of sugar

When it comes to the unhealthiest restaurant desserts, the molten lava takes the cake, no pun intended. This is a popular dessert, especially at many chain restaurants like Chilis. But the combination of chocolate cake and warm fudge makes this dessert one of the worst. If you plan on ordering one of these calorie-packed desserts after dinner, be sure to ask for a few extra spoons to share with the table.

• Nutrition Facts: One square of fudge has 130 calories and 12 grams of sugar

Whether you make fudge at home or order it from a local bakery, it's a rich and tasty dessert. The calories and sugar in one square make fudge seem like a healthier choice than other desserts, but it's important to keep in mind that one square is a pretty small portion. Unless you specifically measure how much fudge you're eating, you're likely going to eat several servings without realizing it.

• Nutrition Facts: One slice of cheesecake has 400 calories and 27 grams of sugar

A plain slice of cheesecake isn't as bad as some other desserts, but when you order a cheesecake swirled with cookies or candy, it can end up being over 1,000 calories for one slice. A slice of Chocolate Caramelicious Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, for example, has 1,370 calories.

• Nutrition Facts: One slice of chocolate cream pie has 399 calories and 31 grams of sugar

Chocolate cream pie is one of the tastiest and well-loved pies. The chocolate and cream in the name make it pretty clear that it will be full of sugar and fat, but many people don't realize just how bad one slice is. Cream-based pies are some of the worst because they're made from a base of milk, cream, sugar, and eggs. Add in an unhealthy serving of chocolate and other fillings, and you've got one of the desserts you should avoid.

• Nutrition Facts: One ice cream cone has 274 calories and 27 grams of sugar

Ice cream is one of the most popular desserts and it's no wonder why most love this tasty treat. It comes in hundreds of flavors and it's perfect for cooling down on a hot day. However, ice cream is one of the worst desserts because of the sheer amount of fat and sugar. The calories and sugar in ice cream can vary widely depending on the flavor, but even one scoop of ice cream can have over 300 calories.

• Nutrition Fact: One slice of carrot cake has 577 calories and 51 grams of sugar

When you hear carrot cake, you might think it's similar to zucchini bread or other healthy dessert alternatives. As tasty as this type of cake is, it's far from healthy. Carrot cake is often the most unhealthy type of cake. While there are shredded carrots in the recipe, it's also incredibly high in calories and topped with cream cheese frosting, which is one of the richest, fattiest kinds. As delicious as it is, carrot cake is unfortunately one of the worst desserts in America for your health.

• Nutrition Facts: One slice of pecan pie has 503 calories and 30 grams of sugar

The only healthy ingredient in a pecan pie is the pecans and they make up just a small proportion. The rest is packed with sugar which provides empty calories – it will make you put on weight but provides little in the way of nutrition. This dessert is best enjoyed in very small quantities but if you are a pie lover you may want to check out the best pie shops in America.