Healthy Snacks: Does It Matter What You Eat For Snacks?

Snacking is a global thing. Wherever you go around the world, snacks are offered in restaurants, and people, by practice, really take their snacks. But, what makes a difference in this eating practice is the choice of healthy snacks.

How Do You Choose Healthy Snacks?

Just like the regular healthy meals you consume, eating healthy snacks has some rules as well.

• Calorie Limit. Remember that the healthiest daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories and no more than that. So, when snacking, you have to remember this rule and only eat food equivalent to 200 calories. Of course, you have to adjust your meal intake to avoid gaining extra pounds.
• The 35-10-35 Rule. Healthy snacks have less than 35% of their total calories from fat, less than 10% of their calories from saturated fats, and less than 35% sugar in weight. Fat-free snacks are not necessarily healthy as they usually contain lots of sodium and sugar.
• Protein Content. Healthy snacks that have more protein make you feel fuller longer than carbs. You have to take note though to avoid protein bars that have more than 15 grams of sugar and 5 grams of fat.
• Fiber Content. Fiber is good for digestion and in metabolizing body fat, so make sure you snack on cereals and protein bars. Aim for at least 3 grams of protein per snack serving.
• Low Sodium. As you may know it, too much sodium can cause your blood pressure to rise, so choose snacks that have less than 450 mg sodium content per serving.

As a general rule, you have to:

• Choose organically grown foods for healthy snacks as these are not exposed to pesticides that are harmful to the body. Also, organic foods taste better, so you’d like it more; and
• Choose snacks that have more nutrients.

Healthy Snacks: Suggested Food for Nibbling

Here’s a list of delicious and healthy snacks:

• Almonds
• Apple
• Applesauce
• Apple with peanut butter
• Apricots
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Carrots
• Cashews
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fruits with cottage cheese on top
• Lettuce wrap
• Mediterranean artichoke hearts
• Oatmeal
• Olives
• Oranges
• Pecans
• Pickles
• Pistachios
• Rice cakes
• Sesame seeds
• Smoothies
• String cheese
• Vegetable chips with tangy yogurt
• Watermelon
• Wheat pretzels with some mustard
• Whole wheat bread