Many of us are conversant with the right diet plan for a typical breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, when it comes to our snacks, we often get it wrong. Remember, losing weight involves sticking to a healthy and weight-loss-friendly diet. And this diet doesn’t only involve what you take for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It includes your snacks as well.
There are a variety of snacks designed for weight loss. Taking these snacks alongside your typical main dish would complement your effort to lose some pounds. Before we delve into some healthy snacks for weight loss, we should consider a few things. First off, let’s look at what makes a food or snack ideal for weight loss.
What makes a food perfect for weight loss?
Not all meals are the same. Some contain nutrients that aid weight loss, while others don’t (or contain a few). Generally, dieticians often advise those seeking to lose weight to stick with foods with high fibre or protein content. Why? Because they tend to be more filling. So if you take a meal that contains such nutrients you’ll feel satiated faster and may eat less at every snack time or meal.
Furthermore, foods that are low in calories but high in volume or density are deemed perfect for weight loss. The more room a food occupies in the stomach, the more full an individual may feel. Once more, this helps an individual eat less with every snack.
People may also want to go after meals that help with metabolism and energy. When your energy is at its peak, you tend to burn more calories. Better metabolism, on the other hand, can help you process the food you eat efficiently.
If you have made weight loss a topmost priority, you must avoid meals that come with a large quantity of:
- Salt
- Saturated fat
- Simple carbohydrates
- Sugar
Many people prefer processed snacks to its counterpart. If you are eager to lose weight, such preference must change due to the high level of sugar, salt, or both present in processed snacks.
It is no secret that snacking between meals can help with weight loss. But for that to happen, you need to take the right snacks. And what snacks are we referring to here? We have highlighted a few of them below.
Snacks for weight loss
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Fruits and nut butter
Are you a fruit fanatic? Do you have an array of fruits stashed in your storage or refrigerator? If yes, you are on the right track. If otherwise, you need to visit the grocery store and get some fruits.
Fruits like grapefruit, berries, stone fruit, melons, apples, etc., contain vitamins, fibre, and other nutrients that support a healthy diet. These fruits are also low in calories and high fibre, which may help in your effort to lose weight.
Nut butter is another diet-friendly snack. And guess what? You can combine your fruit with nut butter for a healthy weight-loss-friendly combination. Based on the USDA, a medium apple provides 20% of an individual’s dietary fibre, and 1 of the 2 recommended cups of fruits daily. Immersing an apple slice in peanut or any other nut butter also complements your snack with protein and good fat.
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Nuts
Nuts are healthy. They are also considered as a filling snack, making them weight-loss-friendly. But, that’s not all.
Nuts consist of nutrients like protein and good fats. However, those who wish to reduce their salt consumption should inspect the label to ensure that there is no added salt. In addition, individuals should steer clear from nuts prepared with flavours, since the flavours often come with sugar or salt. Rather than go for such nuts, it makes sense to consider raw or dry-roasted nuts.
If you aren’t aware, nuts are quite high in calories. Thus, if you’d want to stick with nuts, ensure you only eat a small amount per snack.
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Chocolate
Oh, this should be everyone’s favourite, especially kids. Chocolate has been around for quite a while, and no doubt, it is considered one of the most prevalent and healthy snacks. Aside from their ability to reduce risk factors for heart disease, some chocolates, like the Belgian dark chocolate, boast of nutrients that may cut down cravings and promote the feeling of fullness, which may help in weight loss.
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Greek yoghurt with berries
Yummy! Who doesn’t like the taste of Greek Yoghurt? I bet everyone does because it excites our taste buds. But aside from its yummy qualities, another reason you ought to fall in love with this yoghurt (if you haven’t already) is that it aids weight loss.
An individual can safely add fresh fruits ( be it berries, purple grapes, ripe blackberries, etc.) or nuts to enhance its taste and boost its nutritional value. Not all Greek Yogurt is ideal for weight loss. If you are looking to shed some weight, it is best you go for the plain variety and not those with flavouring.
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Air-popped popcorn
Popcorn is a household name associated with places/ events like cinemas, fairs, carnivals, and stadiums. This popular snack contains extra sugar, fat, and salt, which aren’t good for your health. Thus, consuming excess popcorn isn’t advisable.
Air-popped popcorn is quite different from the typical popcorn. This type of popcorn doesn’t come with extra sugar, fat, and salt. Instead, it is a low-calorie whole grain that provides us with plenty of filling fibre.
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Hard-boiled eggs
Eggs are one of those foods that are worthy of the name “super-food.” And this is not just because it is delicious, but due to the health benefits that come with consuming them.
Eggs contain lots of protein and vitamin D, including other nutrients that help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase HDL (good cholesterol), and of course, help you lose weight. Consider adding eggs to your meal plan to increase your chances of losing weight fast.
Conclusion
When next you feel the need to go snacking, ensure you select snacks that are high in nutrients that are beneficial to your health and not highly processed, less nutritious alternatives. Selecting snacks based on their health merit can help you stay filled, boost your nutrient intake, and support weight management.
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