Are there Healthy Snacks?

Contrary to popular opinion, snacking can be healthy. There are situations when you`re at work, a long meeting, or just don`t feel like having a proper meal, a snack is just what you need. So what snacks should you or not eat? Let`s get talking!

9 Healthy Snacks you Should Eat

Dark Chocolate Almonds

Here`s a snack that contains healthy amounts of nuts and dark, rich chocolates. Dark chocolate has got flavonol that`s great for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of you having a heart attack. Almonds, on the other hand, controls sugar levels. Dark chocolate almonds provide about 300 calories of energy per ounce serving.

Popcorns

Air-popped popcorns are rich in polyphenol antioxidants that reduce inflammation. These polyphenol antioxidants fight cancer by restraining the enzymes that enhance the growth of cancerous cells. They also help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Fortunately, popcorns have great taste. A serving of air-popped popcorns can provide about 30 calories to your body.

Yogurt and Berries

Yogurts and berries are a perfect combination that gives you a tasty, nutrient-filled treat. Greek yogurt in particular, is high in protein, calcium, and potassium. These nutrients will help your body perform optimally. With berries, you can prevent cancer and combat heart diseases. All you need is 3.5 oz. serving of Greek yogurt with about a cup of mixed berries to get 10 grams of protein and a little below 160 calories.

Nuts

These nutritious snacks are rich in fiber, fat, and protein. That`s not all, as nuts can combat cancer, heart issues, and other ailments. As healthy as nuts are, a handful per time is all that you need. So a 1 oz. serving is just fine for you because nuts have a high amount of fats in them. So, it is advisable that you limit the amount to suit your nutritional health. Fortunately, you don`t need to refrigerate nuts; they`re portable and just suitable for easy snacking.

Apple with Peanut Butter

We say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away Yes, that is valid. Even more delicious and healthy is having it with peanut butter. It won`t only keep the doctor away but will give you a crisp, creamy mixture that`s so refreshing and yummy. What`s more? Apples are rich in fruit fiber and contain some antioxidants that maintain gut health and reduce the risk of heart issues. Peanut butter, on the other hand, reduces cholesterol levels.

Celery Sticks with Cheese

Here`s an amazingly low-carbohydrate snack. A serving of celery sticks with cream cheese is a tasty, nutritious snack that prevents cancer, due to the presence of the luteolin, an antioxidant in celery. What about cream cheese? Super yummy, when you add it to celery sticks! It gives an unforgettably delicious taste. You may have about four to five celery sticks with about 60 grams of cream cheese, and that gives under 200 calories per serving. That`s just healthy enough for you.

Pitted Avocado with Cottage Cheese

Want a rich, buttery, and nutritious snack? Then here`s what you need! It provides energy, it leaves you rupturing with vitality. Wondering how to make this snack? It`s quite easy!

• Split your avocado into equal halves.
• Take off the seed.
• Add in two ounces of cottage cheese.
• A serving of this snack gives about 9 grams of protein and 7 grams of fruit fiber.

Kale Chips

Kale chips are a nutritious snack with a rich blend of vitamins A, C, and K that give better vision and prevents blood loss. Kale chips also grow and repair tissues in some parts of the body. Here`s how to make crispy kale chips:

• Place the stems of kale leaves on a cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a teaspoonful of olive oil.
• Heat for about 15 minutes until it`s crispy.

Fruits

Fruits are generally rich snacks you can always eat. They are a reliable source of nutrients, whether or not regular meals are available. Whether it`s pineapple, bananas, grapes, watermelon, apples, whatever! Just grab a fruit! Fortunately, fruits demand no form of preparation before eating.

10 Unhealthy Snacks

Butter and Cheese

Butter and cheese are pleasantly delicious but are only safe in small quantities. If you consume them in high amounts, the saturated fats and chemical pollutants they contain will have terrible effects on your health.

Fruit Snacks

Fruit snacks contain sugar, preservatives, and artificial colors in unhealthy amounts. That`s not all, as they also stick to the teeth and cause tooth decay. This may result in worse health conditions if you don`t get proper dental care.

Hard Candies

Candies are packed with flavors, sugar, and artificial colorings that harm the teeth and cavities. This, among other reasons, makes them unhealthy.

Toaster Pastries

Toaster pastries are filled with icing, sugar-sweetened jelly, and sprinkles that may cause health hazards. You may eat whole-grain toast instead, and add an all-fruit spread.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts, particularly cream and double chocolate-glazed doughnuts, can be high in sugars, artificial flavors, and some other unhealthy additives that increase the risk of cancer, obesity, and tissue damage. This makes them unhealthy, especially when you consume them in high amounts.

Potato Chips and French Fries

Due to deep-frying and high amounts of saturated fats, these snacks are not healthy for regular consumption. They contain high levels of unhealthy cholesterol, and as a result, increase the risk of obesity, respiratory disorders, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure.

Hot Dogs

Frequent consumption of hot dogs may put you at risk of stroke, diabetes, cancer, and coronary heart disease. Their high sodium and saturated fat content are also unhealthy for regular consumption.

Sugary Drinks

Sports drinks, cola, fruit punch, and other sugary drinks contain high amounts of sugar and empty calories that are damaging to the health especially when you consume them in high quantities.

Chicken Nuggets

If you`re a lover of chicken nuggets and you buy them in fast food outlets, you put your health at risk because they are fried in oils that contain unhealthy additives.

Half-Cooked Meat and Eggs

Uncooked and half-cooked foods, especially meat and eggs, contain high amounts of a bacterium called salmonella that weakens the immune system when it enters into the bloodstream.

Some Fruit Facts you Should Know

Since fruits are healthy snacks, then we should talk more about them.

• Pomology is the study of fruits.
• Banana is a herb, not a fruit.
• Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
• An average strawberry has over 200 seeds.
• Yellow-colored fruits prevent illnesses.
• Mangoes are the world`s most loved fruit.
• Apples stay afloat in water because they are 25% air.
• Eating an apple would help you stay awake than a cup of coffee would because apples provide more energy
• A kiwi has two times the vitamin C in an orange.
• Japanese farmers grow square watermelons for easier stack and store.
• Orange-colored fruits keep the eyes healthy.
• Green-colored fruits strengthen the teeth and bones.
• Purple and blue fruits boost memory.
• Red-colored fruits are excellent for heart health.
• There are over 7,000 of apples grown worldwide.
• Pineapples ripen faster when they are placed leafy side down.
• Dried fruits contain more calories than fresh fruits because the drying process reduces the water content and volume.
• Lychees contain poisonous seeds.
• Cucumbers are a fruit, not vegetable.
• One pomegranate can hold more than 1000 seeds.
• You should eat your fruits with the skin to get the best nutritional value.