Healthy Snack Ideas

Snacking between meals can help keep you energize and can provide nutrients like carbohydrates, protein and good fats. Healthy snacks can also be sources of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and phytochemicals that can fight disease. When you eat a healthy snack, you are less likely to eat a heavy meal later on since you will be less hungry. Choose a variety of snacks. Stay away from snacks that are high in calories, fat, sugar and salt such as cakes, candies, chips, chocolate, cookies, French fries, doughnuts, and sugary drinks like soft drinks and energy drinks. Below is a list of healthy snack ideas to choose from and in brackets are the health-promoting ingredients found in these the foods.

· Plums (phenols antioxidants)

· Oranges and grapefruit (polyphenols and vitamin C)

· Pears (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory)

· Prunes (phenols antioxidants)

· Apple (polyphenols antioxidants)

· Apricots (beta-carotene and vitamin A)

· Figs (potassium)

· Kiwifruit (vitamin C)

· Mango (vitamin A and C)

· Cantaloupe (vitamin C and A)

· Peach (vitamins A and C)

· Banana (potassium)

· Berries: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries (antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory)

· Grapes (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory)

· Fruit smoothie (see above)

· Broccoli (antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory)

· Carrots (vitamin A and antioxidant)

· Celery (vitamin C; enjoy with peanut butter)

· Green pepper (antioxidant)

· Cherry tomatoes (antioxidant)

· Walnuts (omega-3)

· Almonds (vitamin E and monounsaturated fats)

· Pecans (antioxidants and monounsaturated fats)

· Sunflower seeds (vitamin E and plant sterols)

· Plain popcorn with cinnamon (antioxidant)

· Whole wheat bread (dietary fiber and manganese; enjoy with peanut butter)

· 100% fruit juice (see fruits above)

· Milk (vitamin D and calcium)

· Green tea (catechins)

· Fortified soy beverage (molybdenum and tryptophan)

· Every once in a while treat yourself to dark chocolate with nuts!

You can eat a snack after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner. Choose more plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grain items. Low fat yogurt is also a good choice. Enjoy healthy snacking everyday!

The World's Healthiest Foods. 2012 [updated 2012]; Available from: http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php.