Best Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss
Are you struggling daily in finding healthy snacks? Often, around 5 PM, we feel very hungry. At that time, we are usually in the office or outside, and healthy options are hard to find. We end up eating something we later regret. But not anymore! Today, let’s discuss some very easy and healthy snack options that you can comfortably take to your school, college, or office, or when you are traveling.All you need to do is choose wisely. It’s entirely possible to lose weight without dropping all your favorite foods.
As you all probably already know about all these foods, but it’s important to combine them correctly to balance your meal and keep you full. Take an apple, for example. If you eat one apple, you might not feel full. If you eat two apples, it could be an overdose of carbohydrates. However, if you combine this apple with peanuts or peanut butter, not only will you feel full, but your meal will also be balanced. Psychologically and scientifically, it is proven that when we combine two or more foods, our body feels satisfied more quickly. The snacks we are going to discuss further are based on this principle. Moreover, all these foods are inexpensive and easily available in the market. Most importantly, these tasty snack options will keep you away from outside junk food.
First up are Makhana (fox nuts). Makhana are a very healthy, crunchy, and filling snack option. In my house, everyone is a fan of makhana, especially my mom, who packs them in a small box. She says they are so tasty and crunchy that they feel like popcorn. Indeed, they are a healthier version of popcorn. They are low in calories and rich in minerals. Makhana are high in fiber and contain some protein. The sodium quantity is very low, making them an excellent snack option for blood pressure patients. Just roast makhana lightly in a pan with a little oil for two minutes; they will be ready faster than Maggi noodles. Although makhana alone is enough to fill you up, you can add a handful of unsalted roasted peanuts if you wish.
Another is Mixed Nut. What you choose to snack on impacts how you feel later. Snacks loaded with unhealthy carbs and sugar will make you feel hungry much sooner, leading you to eat more during your mealtime. So, nuts are the wisest snacking option. They are packed with nutrients. Even though they’re calorie-dense, nuts are an excellent snack option if you’re trying to lose weight. There are multiple benefits to eating them. You get healthy fats, protein, and fiber. They also make you feel satiated after eating just a few, meaning you’ll end up eating smaller portion sizes later on. Just remember to eat nuts in moderation. There’s scientific evidence showing that nuts help reduce weight. Prepare a trail mix of various nuts and keep them with you on-the-go. For example, you can prepare a trail mix by throwing in walnuts, almonds, and pecans. Add cashews and almonds as well. Boost the nutritional profile by adding flaxseeds and sunflower seeds. You already have one super healthy snack ready.
The next snack is roasted gram (bhuna chana). Roasted gram is a ready-to-eat snack that is very healthy and tasty. It’s not called “food for horses” for nothing! Roasted gram is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and some protein. It also contains very few calories. You can easily combine them with a handful of peanuts to get some healthy fats and increase the protein content.
Another snack option is fruits and nuts. Fruits are a very simple and healthy snack option. You can use any fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, or papayas, especially seasonal fruits. Also, don’t spend too much on exotic fruits, because the nutrition your body gets from local fruits cannot be matched by imported ones. A single fruit might not be enough to fill you up, so combine them with nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts, or walnuts. Remember to eat five to six soaked almonds with their skin peeled off at a time. Soaked almonds are easier to digest and don’t cause heat in the body. Now you get carbohydrates and fiber from fruits, and healthy fats and protein from nuts, making it a balanced combination.
The next snack option is a banana peanut butter roll. If you are feeling extra hungry, a banana peanut butter roll is a great snack option. Take a whole wheat roti, spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on it, and place a ripe banana cut into pieces. Roll it up and eat it. It’s very tasty and healthy too.
The next snack is carrots and cucumbers. Since eating just carrots and cucumbers might not fill you up, you can combine them with two handfuls of roasted gram and one handful of peanuts. Now you get vitamins and minerals from raw vegetables, complex carbohydrates and proteins from roasted gram, and healthy fats and some protein from peanuts.
The next tasty and little spicy ingredient is boiled chana chaat. This healthy and tasty snack option is very easy to make. Just boil black chickpeas. Then add chopped onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Sprinkle some rock salt, black pepper, chaat masala, and lemon juice on top. Mix well, and your boiled chana chaat is ready.
The next snack is also very similar: egg white chaat. Just replace the black chickpeas with egg whites, and your egg white chaat is ready. If you find egg whites not tasty or difficult to digest, this is a great way to eat them. Since egg whites are a clean source of protein and contain no carbohydrates, you can combine them with a roti. Other options could be egg white bhurji or plain egg whites.
So, these were some easy snack options that you can comfortably carry with you. Losing weight isn’t a cakewalk (no pun intended), but knowing a few tips and tricks can certainly make a difference. Besides controlling your daily diet, you’ll also need to exercise regularly. But you should do cardio or strength training.
