Anyone on a diet will tell you that snacks can be a very difficult item to handle. It is simply not possible to completely avoid snacking, and snacks can actually help a diet. That being said, you do not want to sabotage your diet, and you want to make healthy choices. Snack options that provide nutrition, help to keep you feeling full, and boost energy levels are great choices. Below is a list of the three things you should be snacking on.
1. Fruit: Fruit is an excellent snack choice as it is filled with vitamins and minerals. Brightly colored fruits, such as oranges, pineapples, bananas, and apples provide many anti-cancer properties, and high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E. Many fruits also contain a good amount of potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. In addition to all of the health benefits fruit has to offer, you can eat more and get fewer calories. For example, you can eat an entire orange and only take in forty-eight calories. Fruit fills you up without the feelings of guilt.
2. Vegetables: You should always have a wide variety of vegetables on hand at all times. Spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes provide anti-cancer properties, tons of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as good amounts of iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Packed with fiber, veggies keep you feeling full for a long period of time.
3. Nuts: Loaded with antioxidants, protein, and fiber, nuts have many nutritional qualities. Even though nuts can be high in fat and calories, many dieticians and nutritionists recommend eating small portions of nuts as part of a healthy diet. Small portions of nuts can be very beneficial to weight control and weight loss.
Even healthy foods need to be snacked on in moderation. While the foods listed above are considered to be quite healthy, a lack of self-control can cause problems to your diet. Keep reasonable portion sizes in mind at all times. Keep in mind a few basic rules of thumb when planning snacks: one cup of raw vegetables contains 25 to 30 calories; and one stalk of celery contains about 10 calories. A reasonable serving size for nuts is one palm full. This amount of nuts contains about 160 calories. However, too many nuts can completely wreck your diet, just one cup of nuts packs over 800 calories.
1. Fruit: Fruit is an excellent snack choice as it is filled with vitamins and minerals. Brightly colored fruits, such as oranges, pineapples, bananas, and apples provide many anti-cancer properties, and high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E. Many fruits also contain a good amount of potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. In addition to all of the health benefits fruit has to offer, you can eat more and get fewer calories. For example, you can eat an entire orange and only take in forty-eight calories. Fruit fills you up without the feelings of guilt.
2. Vegetables: You should always have a wide variety of vegetables on hand at all times. Spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes provide anti-cancer properties, tons of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as good amounts of iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Packed with fiber, veggies keep you feeling full for a long period of time.
3. Nuts: Loaded with antioxidants, protein, and fiber, nuts have many nutritional qualities. Even though nuts can be high in fat and calories, many dieticians and nutritionists recommend eating small portions of nuts as part of a healthy diet. Small portions of nuts can be very beneficial to weight control and weight loss.
Even healthy foods need to be snacked on in moderation. While the foods listed above are considered to be quite healthy, a lack of self-control can cause problems to your diet. Keep reasonable portion sizes in mind at all times. Keep in mind a few basic rules of thumb when planning snacks: one cup of raw vegetables contains 25 to 30 calories; and one stalk of celery contains about 10 calories. A reasonable serving size for nuts is one palm full. This amount of nuts contains about 160 calories. However, too many nuts can completely wreck your diet, just one cup of nuts packs over 800 calories.