See the Snacks You Can Eat as a Vegetarian
Vegetarians can, just like non-vegetarians, enjoy snacks. Being a vegetarian does not shut you out of all kinds of foods, asides from your non-dairy and non-animal-based foods.
Getting nutritious vegetarian snacks should not be a herculean task. Although many quick snacks offer tiny amounts of nutrients, asides from calories, added sugar, and sodium. Nonetheless, this does not in any way signify that vegetarians cannot get healthy and nutritious snacks that fit conveniently into their diets.
Fruit with Nut Butter
Slicing fruits up and dipping them into nut butter is a healthy and nutritious snack that is neither dairy laden or animal-based. This snack can be consumed by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. The combination of fruit and nut butter supplies the body with numerous nutrients that provide health benefits. Not only is the combination nutritious, but it is also delicious.
Fruits are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties that help keep you healthy. While nut butter like cashew nut butter, almond nut butter, or peanut butter, on the other hand, supplies the body with healthy fats and protein.
Cheese Sticks
Cheese is a healthy snack that helps quench unnecessary cravings, especially when traveling. Cheese is highly nutritious. Although in some cases, the nutritional profile depends on the brand of the cheese. Cheese contains about 7g of protein per serving.
Protein is one of the reasons why vegetarians should try out this snack, as most vegetarians may lack protein due to their diet peculiarity. Cheese is also packed with calcium, a mineral that keeps the bones and teeth strong and healthy.
Hummus with Bell Pepper
Hummus with bell pepper is a healthy substitute for chips and dips. It is plant-based and highly nutritional for vegetarians. Although bell pepper might not be as crunchy as crackers or chips, at least they provide almost the same amounts of nutrients. They are also lower in calories that can make you add unnecessary weight and higher in vitamins and fiber compared to chips and crackers.
Hummus is a great source of protein. When you dip your bell pepper in hummus, it tops your protein intake, thereby preventing you from suffering from protein deficiency that is sometimes associated with vegetarians and the vegetarian diet. Hummus also contains high amounts of fiber with low calories.
Roasted Chickpeas
Chickpeas are also snacks that are part of the top choice snacks for vegetarians. They are stuffed with nutrients like fiber, protein, minerals, vitamins, and manganese folate.
Roasted chickpeas are comfortable to make at home. It involves the process of roasting with olive oil, a nutritious oil, with other nutritious spices and herbs. Some of these healthy spices include; curcumin, cinnamon, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. These are all spices that, when added to the chickpea cooking process, increases the nutritional profile. No part of the roasted chickpea snack is animal-based, and it supplies the body with numerous health benefits.
Popcorn
Popcorn, as the name implies, is made from corn. It is not just nutritious; it is also delicious and healthy for vegetarian and non-vegetarian consumption. It has high zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium contents.
It is also packed with manganese, a kind of mineral that is known to enhance and improve the digestion process, improve and strengthen the function of the immune system, encourage healthy brain growth, and ensures the production of energy. This is proof that eating popcorn does not only involve its deliciousness. It also involves improving your general health and wellbeing.
Experts have suggested that eating air-popped popcorn is better than microwaved ones, as the latter contains excess sodium, calories, and fat.
To intensify the taste and flavor of the popcorn, try adding some seasonings like onion powder, parsley, vegetarian parmesan, or paprika.
Nuts
Nuts include cashews, almonds, walnut, and pistachios. These nuts are on the list of the most nutritious nuts in the world. They provide numerous nutrients such as healthy fats, magnesium, protein, calcium, and iron.
According to research, adding nuts to your diet can help reduce your risks of developing certain major illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and certain kinds of cancers like colorectal cancer.
Nuts are rich sources of calories; this is why it is important to eat them in moderation. They are plant-based and can be consumed by vegetarians. Experts suggest that eating nuts in moderate amounts involve eating one ounce at a time. They can also be added to raw foods diet or vegan and vegetarian diets.
Fruity Yogurts
Non-dairy yogurts that have fruits as part of their ingredients are also nutritious and healthy snacks to be consumed by7 everybody, vegans and vegetarians inclusive. They are rich in protein, vitamin B12, potassium, and calcium.
Adding fruits like apples, bananas, berries, or grapes to your yogurt can help increase the nutritional profile of your yogurt. For instance, fruits can increase the fiber, vitamins, and antioxidant contents of your yogurt.
Get yourself a plain non-dairy yogurt. Also, avoid yogurts that are extremely sweetened. Add natural sweeteners like honey to your yogurts instead of buying the ones that contain industrial sugar.
Plain non-dairy yogurts are not animal-based. They can easily be incorporated into the vegetarian diet.
Kale Chips
Kale is a vegetable and is easy to incorporate into your diet, especially for vegetarians. It does not only help with the purpose of vegetables in diets; it can also be a nutritious snack that you can dip in nut butter.
Kale is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A and C, which help in the conventional functioning of the immune system and the successful warding off of diseases and infections.
Kale chips are made out of kale leaves, olive oil, and salt. Then it passes through the process of baking until it gives that crispy feel and satisfaction that chips give.
Smoothies from Greens
Smoothies made from green have a great wealth of nutrients. They provide you with fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants enough to build your body’s defenses against illnesses and diseases.
Green smoothies are made out of leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Sometimes, they are made from fruits like cucumber. To enhance the taste of your smoothie, you can add sweet fruits like berries, chia seeds, celery, carrots, bananas, or flax seeds.
You can also add vegetarian protein powders like rice protein powder, pea, whey, or hemp. These combinations can provide your muscles with support and control your blood sugar levels.
Roasted Edamame
Edamame is unripe soybeans that are roasted, steamed, or boiled to enhance their taste and help you with digesting them. They are healthy snacks that are not just delicious but are also portable and can be on-the-go snacks.
Edamame is packed with about 7 grams of fiber, over 10 grams of plant-based protein, high amounts of vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.
When making edamame by yourself at home, you can add pepper, garlic, vegetarian parmesan, or paprika to improve the quality and the taste.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds and leaves are highly nutritious and are also easily incorporated into diets. The seeds can be used as snacks, and they have high fiber and protein contents. They are also crammed with nutrients that can ensure muscle contraction, nerve function, DNA synthesis, and blood pressure regulation.
Pumpkin seeds can be roasted with olive oil, spices, and salt until they are golden brown and ready for consumption.
Hard-boiled Eggs
Eggs are on the list of the most nutritious foods in the world. They are wholesome and can keep you full all day. In addition to this, it is packed with vitamins, protein, and selenium.
According to research, eating eggs has been recently associated with the regulation of blood levels, improvement of antioxidants and cholesterol, as well as regulation of weight.
Home-made Energy Balls
Energy balls are snacks that can easily be made at home, effortlessly. They do not hold any form of animal product. They are part of the best choices for vegetarians.
Add nuts and seeds to your energy balls to improve their nutritional profile. For example, adding nuts and seeds to your energy balls can help increase your fiber, protein, and healthy fats intake. You can also try adding honey to improve the flavor.
In conclusion, vegans and vegetarians are not left out in the deliciousness of snacks. They can also enjoy snacks and the health benefits attached to them. The above list of snacks includes part of the inexhaustible list of snacks that can be consumed by vegetarians.