Too often when we experience an afternoon lull, we find ourselves reaching for the soda, chocolate or crisps for a pick me up. Soon after we eat them though, we can feel heavy, bloated or even guilty.
There are a lot of healthy snacks out there that are just as easy to reach for and can also offer you a pick me up; minus the heavy, guilty bloaty feelings.
A lot of it has to do with having healthy food choices on hand so you do not have to think twice about reaching for an unhealthy snack. There are many snacks that boost your energy and can satisfy your appetite until the next main mean. Here are seven for you to try!
1. Figs
Grab about four fresh figs as a healthy snack. There is plenty of iron in figs, which is why it gives you more energy. It’s a good idea to make sure you are getting plenty of iron in your diet or you may start to feel fatigued throughout the day. Figs also help lower blood pressure, they are a ‘sweet’ way to lose weight, and they can protects against macular degeneration (loosing your eye sight).
2. Yogurt
This is a great source of carbs and protein. It will boost your energy and makes you feel full longer. When dinner seems like it’s just that tad bit too far away, yogurt is a great snack to keep you feeling full until your next meal. It’s a good idea to stick to low-fat or no-fat yogurts so you don’t compromise your fat intake.
3. Almonds/Walnuts
Most people think nuts are bad for you but they are filled with good fats, fiber, vitamin E, and omega 3s; and they help you feel full. A lot of times we can overeat nuts when we have a full bag of them, so try to put an ounce in a plastic container or ziplock-bag and only eat the amount you have served for yourself. The copper and manganese in almonds helps keep your energy flowing throughout your body.
4. Eggs
Eggs have almost 97% protein that can be taken in by your body. This can satisfy 30% of the daily intake of protein you should be getting. Eating eggs scrambled, boiled, or baked, are good as a meal or snack and the amino acids will help rebuild your muscles throughout the day if you are the type that likes to work out.
5. Flax crackers with honey
Ever crave sweets mid-day? Try some raw flax crackers and drizzle them with honey. The crackers are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and omega 3s. They will give your energy levels a healthy spike. The honey will give you a hint of sweetness without the added sugar and butter like a lot of popular cookies and shortbreads.
6. Bananas
Before you say, ‘wait, Banana’s are full of sugar,’ it’s important to note that the natural sweetness in fruit takes longer to metabolize than processed sugars. So if you are choosing between a chocolate bar and a banana, the latter would be a much healthier option. Banana’s are filled with vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants and good carbs, so they will give you an energy boost without a hard sugar crash.
7. Kale Chips
This low calorie snack helps with eyesight, cardiovascular health, contains 134% of your daily vitamin C and over 600% of your daily vitamin K. It is also very easy to make these chips yourself, allowing you to determine how much salt is added. Lightly coat the kale leaves in cooking oil, and sprinkle them with a dash of sea salt, then roast the kale until crispy. This super easy snack takes about 10 minutes and gives you an excellent source of nutrients.
Try any of these seven different snacks between meals instead of anything packaged or processed. You may begin to notice how easy it is to grab a healthy snack choice when it is readily available to you everyday. Your energy levels will increase and you will begin to stop craving the things that aren’t so good for you after a while.
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