Snacking is an important part of your diet. It can help keep you from being hungry and control your portions at mealtimes. However, it is easy to let snacking get out of control and ruin an otherwise perfectly planned diet. Here are some healthy snacks when portioned properly won’t derail your program.
Hummus and Raw Veggies Pair a variety of cut veggies like celery, carrots, radishes and cucumbers with 1.4 oz of plain hummus. This snack is a little over 100 calories and the protein in the hummus will fill you up for a few hours.
Edamame In a half cup portion of shelled edamame you will find 120 calories, 9 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein as well as plenty of other vitamins. It contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A. And for a plant food, it’s quite high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast.
Almonds A serving of almonds has 162 calories, 14 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and 6 grams of protein, and when snacking on almonds, portion control is key. One serving of almonds is 23 almonds, which equals 1 ounce, ¼ cup or about 1 handful.
Lara Bar One Lara bar per day provides approximately 200 calories and 5 grams of protein depending on which flavor you choose. It has a relatively high sugar content and should be used in moderation but still great for an on the go snack that doesn’t require prep or refrigeration.
Greek Yogurt & Berries This is a great snack to keep in the fridge at work that also doesn’t require a lot of prep. One serving (57 grams) of Greek Yogurt contains 50 calories, 1 gram of fat and 5 grams of protein, add a half cup of blueberries for another 42 calories and it’s still a great snack under 100 calories. Make sure you check the number of portions per container on your yogurt as often it will be more than 57 grams.
If you are on the go looking for a snack and wondering what portions are appropriate, try the Eat This Much App on your smartphone!
