Snacking is a part of everyday life for many people. To keep the snacks healthy, some things need to be known. What is in the food, and how can it affect the body? This blog post will cover the basics of the nutrition lab and give the idea of different healthy snacks that can help support a healthier lifestyle.
The Basics of Nutrition
This guide provides a basic understanding. Nutrition labeling for items can be very ambiguous, which can often confuse when putting together a meal.
Vegetables have carbs, just like fruit and chicken is protein. These are the essential components of nutrition, and we can break them down to make it easier to understand what the body needs.
Carbohydrates: This quick guide will help to understand some of the vegetables in the diet and those many people don’t think of as a carbohydrate source. Vegetables that are green, leafy, and fibrous will have a low carbohydrate content.
Any white vegetable has a much higher level of carbohydrates in it. If a meal with high levels of these vegetables is put together, the carbohydrate count can add up quickly. For example, Vegetable Carbohydrates (g) per 100g while Broccoli is 10.99.
Protein: Protein is essential to every diet, and the recommended amount of protein needed each day will depend on the weight and activity level.
Healthy Fats: There are many different types of fats, but not all of them are bad. The two main types to be aware of when shopping for snacks are saturated and unsaturated fat.
Unsaturated fats are the healthier of the two, as they improve cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease. Foods to avoid or consume very sparingly contain coconut oil or palm oil as these will be high in saturated fat.
The Healthy Snack List
A typical snack is. Pizza, ice cream, chocolate cake. These are not the types of snacks to eat if trying to stay healthy throughout the day. This list will give an idea of some great snack options when the craving strikes!
Vegetables With Dip
Vegetables like Hummus, guacamole, salsa are all healthy options for a snack, and they can be made at home or buy premade versions from the supermarket.
When shopping for premade dips, be sure to read the nutrition label as some will have things like cheese included, which can increase the levels of saturated fat.
Fresh Fruit
This one is a no-brainer. Be sure to choose fresh fruit over canned or dried fruit as it will have higher water content and less added sugar.
Bananas, grapes, and apples are all great choices when shopping for fruit. If there isn’t enough time in the day to eat a whole apple before it goes bad, try an apple slicer to make snacking a breeze.
Cheese and Vegetable Skewers
It’s a great snack that will give multiple servings of vegetables and protein from the cheese. Choose whatever types of vegetables and add them to the skewers with cubes of mozzarella, bocconcini, or any other small cheese.
Opt for low fat and low sodium cheese when buying premade skewers, as many of the options available at the local deli will be very high in salt.
Trail Mix
This on-the-go snack is super healthy and can include various types of nuts and dried fruit. It is essential to try and reduce the amount of chocolate to add as this will be high in fat content. Please limit the number of chocolate chips or other similar items as they will also have a higher salt content from additives such as maltitol.
Why It’s Essential To Promote Healthy Snacks
- It helps kids maintain healthy eating habits.
- Increases intake of nutrients and decreases intake of unhealthy foods. It includes the absence or minimization of snacks that are high in sugar, salt, fat, and calories from a child’s diet. Healthy snacking should consist of lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It ensures the child is meeting their nutritional needs while limiting the intake of empty calories.
- It helps kids maintain healthy eating habits by increasing nutrients in their diet & decreasing unhealthy snacks or foods high in sugar, salt, fat, and calories from children’s diets. Healthy snacking should include.
Our bodies are constantly craving something. When they are given what they want, the healthy snacks will satisfy their cravings and provide some nutrients to help them feel better and live more happily. Healthy snacking is beneficial for the body’s health because these small meals keep us satisfied without weighing us down with too many calories or sugar highs that lead to crashes later on.
