Just so you know, I'm not going to lecture you about giving up dessert or an occasional treat if you're trying to watch your weight, but some desserts are "better" than others. See if you choose the right ones.

BROWNIE VS. CHOCOLATE-LAYER CAKE VS. CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

Your best bet is the chocolate mousse or the layer cake; both have about 550 calories for a 6-ounce portion. (Incidentally, if you thought flourless cake was lower in calories, a 6-ounce piece has about 800 calories.)

A typical 6-ounce brownie has about 600 calories. However many restaurants serve even larger brownies, 7 ounces or more. Plus, restaurants don't stop with the basic square of chocolate fudge. A brownie dessert typically comes with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, pecans, chocolate chunks and a cherry on top. All this can add up to more than 1,200 calories.

Fit tip: To satisfy your desire for chocolate, try sugar-free pudding made with skim milk. Drop in a few chocolate chips while it's hot or top it with light whipped cream. You can also make No Pudge Brownies, a fat-free brownie mix using yogurt (www.no pudge.com). If you're out to dinner, ask about healthy desserts.

CHEESECAKE VS. CARROT CAKE VS. POUND CAKE:

Plain cheesecake is your best bet at about 430 calories for about 4 ounces; you tend to eat less because it's dense and rich. Don't be fooled by the "carrot" in carrot cake. It isn't just a slice of sweetened baby carrots. A 4-ounce portion has about 500 calories, but it varies depending on the amount of frosting used.

What about pound cake? The name says it all — the original recipe calls for a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. That's why it's about 550 calories for 4 ounces. Plus, because pound cake is kind of plain, it's often served with ice cream and/or a sauce on top, which adds 250-400 calories.

Fit tip: If you choose carrot cake, remove some or all of the cream-cheese frosting (more than 100 calories per ounce). Look for low-fat cheesecakes in your supermarket. They have about 200 calories for a 3-ounce portion. If you crave pound cake, opt for zucchini bread instead, which has about 360 calories for a 4- to 5-ounce portion depending on preparation. Because the main ingredient is zucchini, there is typically less "bread," plus zucchini is a high-moisture vegetable, which allows you to use less oil in the preparation without sacrificing moistness (just add extra zucchini).

TIRAMISU VS. TAPIOCA:

Tiramisu is the clear loser here at 400 calories for 5 ounces. The primary ingredients are usually some mixture of creamy fats, processed sugars and alcohol. A typical recipe calls for eggs, mascarpone cheese, ladyfingers, cream, espresso, liquor (e.g., brandy, Marsala or rum), sugar and cocoa or shaved chocolate.

Tapioca, on the other hand, has only 120 calories (4 ounces) and is essentially a root starch taken from the yucca plant (also called a cassava).

Fit tip: A great option here is Jell-O Tapioca Fat-Free Pudding at only 100 calories per serving.

APPLE PIE VS. BLUEBERRY PIE:

They're about even at 60-70 calories per ounce. So, with a typical home serving coming in at 4 ounces and a restaurant serving at 6-7 ounces, you're looking at 240 to 490 calories. However, not all apple pies are created equal. For instance, there's apple crumb pie or apple crisp, which add 100 calories or so per serving.

Fit tip: Skip the crust and save almost 100 calories. Or, if you're craving something sweet at home, try baking your own apple pie and reducing the calories by using baking Splenda and reduced-fat margarine or butter. Better yet, enjoy a baked apple: Take out the core, dab the apple with a bit of reduced-fat margarine and a bit of brown sugar, add some apple juice and cook for about 90 minutes at 350 degrees. You can even bake apples in the microwave. Or try fresh apple slices and blueberries in Jell-O or frozen blueberries topped with low- or nonfat whipped cream.

When eating out (because of larger portion sizes), skip the whipped cream, which adds 80-100 calories per serving. Oh, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make it "a la mode" can tack on another 270 calories.

KEY LIME PIE VS. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE:

Strawberry shortcake (300-350 calories for 4 ounces), even though it's made with heavy cream and sugar, is a bit better because, unlike its key lime counterpart (440 calories for 4.5 ounces), it doesn't have a buttery crust or a processed, sugar-packed filling.

Fit tip: Go with plain angel food cake (which is fat-free, has only 300-375 calories for 4 ounces, and can be made sugar-free by using Splenda) and add your own fresh or frozen berries and low-fat whipped cream. Or just enjoy half a cup of strawberries, which only adds up to 45 calories. Top the berries with a dollop of light whipped cream at 10 calories per tablespoon, and you're getting a filling dessert for 55 calories.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate. Write to info@thedietdetective.com.