To the surprise of many, eating snacks during the day is actually good for you. The key, of course, is to avoid the junk food snacks.Snacking is an American pastime! While there are many ways to do it in an unhealthy manner, there are even more ways to increase your health just by snacking – if you do it wisely! By simply choosing healthy alternatives to snacks that are high in fat, calories, simple carbohydrates and sugars, you will see an increase in your overall wellbeing and vigor.With so many alternatives to snacks on the market, it would be difficult to justify munching on greasy chips or fatty ice cream. Instead, choose a chip company that bakes instead of fries their potatoes. Many chips are even coming proportioned in packs that contain only one hundred calories- a moderate number of calories for a pleasing snack.
Light and fat free chips often taste just like their original brand. Flavored rice cakes are also a tasty alternative. Instead of snacking on ice cream filled with goodies such as rocky road or cookie dough, indulge in a sugar free or low fat ice cream option. Fat is not all that matters, so compare caloric content as well. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, there are various snacks that can help you stay on track. With so many low carbohydrate diets on the market, there are several diet programs that manufacture foods that are specifically low in carbs such as South Beach Diet. They offer prepackaged snacks that are usually high in carbs such as crackers and granola bars but at a lower carb count. Other low carb snacks include celery with low fat peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, nuts and a variety of cheeses.
A staple of healthy food snacks have always been fruits and vegetables. When hunger strikes, grab an apple or an orange and much away with little guilt. Go for green fruits for the lowest calorie content such as cucumbers. Watch out for certain fruits like the avocado which is high in fat. For true guilt free snacking, nibble on low calorie and low sugar veggies such as cabbage, salad, and celery. Check nutritional content as some fruits and vegetables can contain high amounts of sugar and calories. In general, the vitamins and minerals and other nutritional aspects that fruits and veggies provide are all good and will contribute to a greater health. Whether you are looking to cut down on carbs or calories, there is a myriad of healthy snacks available, many of which you will already find right in your cupboards! They are just as affordable and delicious as the higher fat and less nutritious versions. You can’t go wrong with healthy food snacks.
