Choosing the right snacks can be a game-changer when it comes to maintaining energy and overall health, but looks can be deceiving when it comes to nutrition. Many snacks marketed as “healthy,” like bran muffins and granola bars, are actually loaded with hidden sugars and unhealthy fats. Even “fat-free” options can add excess salt and sugar to make up for the loss of flavor, which can ultimately do more harm than good. Knowing what to look for can help you enjoy satisfying, nourishing snacks that support your goals rather than derail them.
Here are 7 tips for smarter snacking.
- Go for grain. Whole grain snacks can give you energy while keeping you strong. Try low-salt whole-grain pretzels or tortilla chips, or a serving of high-fiber cereal.
- Bring back breakfast. Many breakfast foods can be repurposed as a nutritious snack later in the day. How about a slice of whole grain toast topped with low sugar jam? Low-sugar granola also makes a quick snack.
- Try a “high-low” combination. Combine a small amount of a food containing healthy fats, such as peanut butter, with a larger amount of a very light food, such as apple slices or celery sticks.
- Go crazy. Unsalted nuts and seeds make great snacks. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, hazelnuts, hazelnuts and other nuts and seeds contain many beneficial nutrients and are more likely to fill you up (unlike chips or pretzels) . Nuts are high in calories, however, so keep portions small.
- The combined snack. Try to eat more than one macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrates) at each snacking session. For example, eat a few nuts (protein and fat) and a few grapes (carbs). Or try whole-grain (carb) crackers with low-fat (protein and fat) cheese. These healthy snacks tend to fill you up.
- Eat a snack mindfully. Don’t eat your snack while doing something else, such as surfing the Internet, watching TV, or working at your desk. Instead, stop what you’re doing for a few minutes and eat your snack like you would a small meal.
- Take it with you. Think ahead and carry a small bag of healthy snacks in your pocket or purse so you don’t turn in desperation to cookies from the coffee counter or candy bars from the office vending machine.
To learn how to create week-by-week action plans and get our tips and recipes for weight control, buy the 6 week plan for healthy eatinga special health report from Harvard Medical School.
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