Lifestyle change leads to many health issues, one of the biggest examples is diabetes. Snacking is now a major part of our lifestyle and has become a habit now. While watching a movie we need pizza, when bored we need something to munch on like chips, while chilling we need soft-drinks, and junk is harmful for our body. Healthy snacks are foods that provide vital nutrients which develop well-being, help maintain energy levels throughout the day and are a great munching option.
In comparison to refined snacks, which are basically high in sugars, harmful fats, and calories, healthy snacks consist of a mix of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. These snacks can reduce greed between meals, prevent overeating at main meals, and contribute to overall better health. The main qualities of healthy snacks are rich in vital nutrients, balanced, low in added sugars and unhealthy fats, whole and natural foods.
What are Healthy Snacks?
Healthy is considered natural and not processed, anything which is consumed as it is present in nature as after processing it loses its nutrients. Sugarcane is natural and refined sugar is processed. Processed food which are generally consumed are chips, cold-drinks are high in sodium, harmful fats, colourings, refined sugar and leads to satiety causing obesity and other lifestyle disorders.
Healthy snacks are considered which are rich in nutrients, natural or less processed, balanced, low in sodium, preservatives, colourings, unhealthy fat, less processed.
Easy Healthy Snacks Recipes:
Here are some yummy and healthy snack recipes that you can easily make at home:
1. Avocado Toast:
Material:
Ripe avocado
Slices multigrain bread
Salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
Chili Flakes (optional)
Method:
Mash the avocado in a bowl and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to it. Then toast the bread slices and spread avocado mixture on toast. At the end sprinkle chili flakes on top and serve.
2. Greek Yogurt Parfait: Material:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup granola
1/2 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1 tbsp honey
Method:
First add a layer of Greek yogurt in a bowl topped with granola and then a layer of fresh berries. Repeat this process and finally add honey and serve.
3. Hummus and Veggie Sticks:
Material:
1 cup hummus (homemade or store bought)
Take Carrots, Cucumbers, and Bell Pepper Sticks
Method:
Firstly, prepare vegetable sticks by cleaning and chopping them. Now Fill a bowl with the hummus. After dipping the vegetable sticks in hummus, serve.
4. Oatmeal Energy Balls
Material:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chia seeds 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Firstly, blend all the components in a bowl then shape the mixture into small balls. The balls should be refrigerated for 30 minutes. Finally, take out from the fridge and serve.
5. Chia Pudding
Material:
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup almond milk (or any other milk)
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract Fresh fruits and nuts (for topping)
Method:
Firstly, Give the mixture a good stir and set aside for five minutes. To prevent the chia seeds from sticking together, stir one more. After giving the mixture a thorough stir, wait five minutes. To prevent the chia seeds from sticking together, stir one more. Put the jar in the fridge for the entire night, or for at least four hours. Finally, garnish with fresh fruits and nuts while serving.
6. Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Material:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Method:
After cleaning, cut the sweet potatoes into strips. Now, Combine the olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss the fries until well coated. Spread the French fries evenly on a baking sheet. Let’s Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and bake the dish for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping it halfway through. Then, warm it up before serving. Through these recipes you can make your snack time healthy and tasty!
Best Healthy Snacks to Eat:
Selecting nutritious snacks can be tough and integrating them in lifestyle can be tough for some. But this article will help you find snacking items which are readily available and are tasty, filling, sustain your energy, and supply vital nutrients. Here are some tasty and nourishing snack suggestions:
a. Fruits and Vegetables
Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
Carrot and Celery Sticks.
Mixed Berries
Banana chips
b. Nuts and Seeds
Almonds
Pumpkin Seeds
Fox nut
c. Dairy and Substitutes
Greek Yogurt with Honey and Nuts
Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
d. Whole Grains
Whole Grain Crackers with Avocado
Air Popped Popcorn
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Masala oats
e. Sweet and Healthy
Dark Chocolate with Almonds
Frozen Grapes
Good Healthy Snacks for Kids:
Here are some nutritious and appealing good healthy snacks ideas for kids:
Fruit Kabobs
Veggie Sticks with Hummus
Yogurt and Fruit Parfaits
Whole Grain Crackers and Cheese
Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
Mix nuts, seeds
Smoothies
Mini Sandwiches
Boiled Eggs
Oatmeal Bites
Cheese and Fruit Plates
Popcorn
Frozen Yogurt Pops
Avocado Toast
Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss:
No single ideal meal exists for weight loss. Reducing weight is not a one-day task but a process where diet plays a crucial role. Person can follow a diet plan but snacking is a habit which can take time. Instead of dehydrating, risking your health, a nutrient-rich diet plan is recommended. Staying hydrated, having a balanced diet, avoiding junk and oily food, including greens in your diet, snacking on fruits, nuts and crunchy and crispy veggies, making your food tasty and interesting with low calories and exercising regularly will definitely help you lose bad and stubborn fat.
Best Healthy Snacks to Buy:
If you’re searching for healthy snack choices to buy, consider these nutritious and convenient options for best best healthy snacks:
Greek Yogurt Cups
Mixed Nuts
Fruit and Nut Bars
Hummus with Veggie Packs
String Cheese
Rice Cakes with Avocado
Popcorn
Dark Chocolate Squares
Roasted Chickpeas
Dried Fruit
Whole Grain Crackers
Trail Mix.
Seaweed Snacks
These healthy snack options are convenient to buy and can support your efforts to achieve weight loss goals.
Good Healthy Snacks for Heart:
To keep your heart healthy, choose a good healthy snack. The good healthy snack ideas for heart is below:
Choose unsalted nuts
Overnight oatmeal
Avocado toast
Snack on veggie sticks with hummus
Pair apple slices with almond butter
Frozen grapes
Greek yogurt with berries
Dark chocolate
Fresh juices and smoothies
Roasted chickpeas, fox nuts and groundnuts
Popcorn
Seaweed snacks
Easy Healthy Snacks for Diabetics:
Diabetics is a lifestyle disorder, which can’t be cured but prevention and control can be done via diet. Snacks are an important part of our day, where people enjoy some munching and cravings can be calmed. For a diabetic person snack able items should be rich in fiber and have no refined sugar, no refined flour. Popcorn, banana chips, fox nuts, baked chips, berries, nuts, no juices or smoothies.
Conclusion:
As a saying goes ‘health is wealth’, it became reality of today’s world, who’s health is the happiest and wealth with no health is not worth living. A little change in lifestyle has a great impact on physical as well as mental health. Snacking may be a small change but certainly a great one.