January 24th, 2019 | Updated on June 27th, 2022
Snacks can be detrimental to your weight loss efforts. After all, a good chunk of them are loaded with calories, sugar and carbs.
And, as much as one would like to avoid snacking, it’s one-third of the body’s energy. That’s why you need to be mindful of what you’re snacking on and the amount.
Tip: Just 12 weeks on a low-carb diet can beat diabetes, a study has found. Researchers said the low-carb approach could be more effective than a low-fat diet, commonly recommended for type 2 diabetes sufferers.
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Although snacking is important, you need to choose snacks that align with your weight loss goals.
And, believe it or not, there are a plethora of low-carb, nutrient-rich snack foods you can quickly make and eat. What should you consider for your snack attack?
1. Avocados
Avocados contain nutrients and bioactive compounds that may help reduce the risk of becoming overweight. There’s a reason many people swear by avocados as a superfood. After all, they have plenty of antioxidants, dietary fiber, healthy fatty acids and vitamins A, C and E. You have a choice of eating half of an avocado for your snack or preparing guacamole.
To make guacamole, you need to cut one avocado and one clove of garlic and mix. Add in half small tomato and small red onion chopped, some lime juice and salt. Add cilantro and viola. [1]
2. Baked Fish Sticks
Baked fish sticks are great by yourself or with others. After all, they contain omega-3 fatty acids that work to decrease inflammation and stop weight gain. For easy to make baked fish sticks, just slice your fish fillet, coating them in a mixture of egg, whole wheat flour and breadcrumbs.
Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before you fry them in olive oil. You can eat them as is or on a lettuce bed with lime juice. [2]
3. Berries
Berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and more – have a copious amount of antioxidants. They can be eaten raw or added into yogurt or other healthy foods for a nutritious snack. [3]
4. Broccoli Fritters
If you can cook broccoli well, you can make it a tasty snack. You already know how nutritious broccoli is – vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Even better, both broccoli leaves and stems are healthy.
How do you make broccoli fritters?
Grate both the stems and florets, adding in four tablespoons of gram flour, one teaspoon of red chili powder, two tablespoons of whole wheat flour and salt. Add one-quarter cup of water and mix. Add olive oil to a pan and hit. Place a spoonful of the batter, frying until golden brown. Turn over and repeat.
Broccoli fritters are great with yogurt dip. [4] [5]
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5. Celery with Sour Cream
If you’re hungry in the afternoon, consider fiber-rich celery and sour cream to satisfy the hunger. Celery, which is low in carbs but loaded in nutrients, can help lower blood glucose and lipid levels. It also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants to boot. [6]
6. Chocolate Chia Pudding
Chia seeds contain healthy fats that help in all kinds of ways – lowering triglyceride levels, decreasing hunger, boosting insulin sensitivity, etc. It’s easy to make chocolate chia pudding; just four tablespoons of chia seeds mixed into some dark chocolate powder and one cup of full-fat milk. Refrigerate the mixture overnight and add bananas when ready to eat. [7]
7. Dark Chocolate
If you crave chocolate, go for 80 percent or higher dark chocolate, which has both properties that can protect the heart and body. However, consume a minute amount of dark chocolate, as too much can thwart your attempts to losing weight. [8]
8. Edamame
Most people don’t know what edamame is, but they are undeveloped soybeans that can be cooked by boiling and seasoning them with salt and pepper. Edamame is high in dietary fiber and protein and low in calories, which makes it a great afternoon snack. [9]
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9. Eggs
Eggs are loaded with nutrition, and they can be made in all kinds of ways – scramble, poach, boil, etc. A large egg has 68 calories and 5.5 grams of protein. It’s also loaded with fat and water-soluble vitamins and minerals. The yolk is loaded with nutrients, which is why you shouldn’t avoid it unless recommended. [10] [11]
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10. Green Olives
Four calories… that’s all there is in two grams of olives. On top of that, they are rich in vitamin A and healthy fats. Why green olives? They can help reduce blood glucose, blood lipid and inflammation levels as well as protect the body against microbial infections and cancer. [12] [13]
11. Homemade Granola Bars
Store-bought granola bars are just unhealthy as they come.
To make your own, you need 10 chopped dates, four tablespoons of chopped nuts, dark brown sugar and coconut oil, two tablespoons of honey, one teaspoon of vanilla extract and salt. Mix ingredients well and press onto a baking tray. Freeze for four hours. Once done, cut the bars evenly using a sharp knife.
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12. Homemade Honey Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are full of protein, and if you are hungry two or three hours before dinner, homemade honey chicken wings can satisfy your appetite until it’s time. Marinate five chicken wings in two tablespoons of honey and soy sauce, one teaspoon of black pepper, one teaspoon of oregano and salt.
Once marinated, you need to mix one teaspoon of garlic powder and black pepper as well as salt into four tablespoons of flour. Fry in olive oil until done.
13. Honey Pecans
Pecans contain nutrients that help with cardiometabolic disease and can lower cholesterol levels. When buying pecans, it’s best to purchase organic honey pecans and to eat the serving size recommended on the package. [14] [15]
14. Hummus
Hummus, made from chickpeas, is a healthy source of vitamins and minerals. To make hummus, soak 1/2 cup of chickpeas overnight, then boil and remove the outer layer. Place in blender with four tablespoons of lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, one tablespoon of olive oil and salt and blend it becomes a smooth paste.
Eat your concoction with cucumbers, baby carrots, celery or whatever vegetable you want. [16] [17]
15. Kale Chips
When you have a craving for something crunchy, don’t go for the usual. Kale chips can keep you satisfied
A single serving of kale chips has 50 calories, and if made from home, you can create a plethora of different flavors. It’s easy to make – just one cup of kale, some seasoning and two tablespoons of olive oil. Throw it into a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven and cook for five minutes.[18]
16. Pistachios
You may already know that pistachios can help with weight loss, but did you know that they can help the body in all kinds of ways? How so? It can lower oxidative stress levels and inflammation, decrease your hunger levels and protect you against developing diabetes. [14][15][19]
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17. Raita Yogurt Salad
Raita is a yogurt salad that’s generally eaten as a condiment that’s added to many Indian foods. Add it into a cup of full-fat yogurt with a cucumber, tomato, cumin powder, salt and lime juice and you’ll have a yogurt salad that’s loaded with dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. [20] [21]
18. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Various studies have proven pumpkin seeds worth to the human diet – lowering glucose and lipid levels along with improving the immune system. It also has the ability to decrease the chance for bladder stone formation.
Now, you can make your own roasted pumpkin seeds or purchase them from a local supermarket. However, do not consume more than the suggested serving size. [22] [23]
19. Spicy Almonds
One gram of almonds has 5.8 calories and is full of protein, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and more. By eating almonds as a snack, you stay fuller longer. You decrease your chances for cardiovascular disease, inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Spicy almonds, as compared to non-flavored almonds, can stop you from consuming other unhealthy snacks. [24] [25]
20. Turkey Wraps
The great thing about turkey wraps is how easy they are to make – just use a half a cup of ground turkey, cooking it in olive oil, salt and pepper. Scoop two tablespoons of the turkey on lettuce and add in onion, tomatoes, half of an avocado, other veggies and lime juice.
Special Low-Carb Snack: If you love peanut butter and bananas, why not try and peanut butter and banana wrap? You just take a tablespoon of peanut butter and one small banana, wrapping it with a low-carb flour tortilla shell and warm it up for 20 seconds in the microwave.
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References:
1. “Hass avocado composition and potential health effects.” Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, US National Library of Medicine.
2. “Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and cardiovascular disease.”Molecular and cellular biochemistry, US National Library of Medicine.
3. “Influence of Pistachios on Performance and Exercise-Induced Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Immune Dysfunction, and Metabolite Shifts in Cyclists: A Randomized, Crossover Trial” PloS one, US National Library of Medicine.
4. “Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Broccoli Florets in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells” Preventive nutrition and food science, US National Library of Medicine.
5. “Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Broccoli By-Products from Different Cultivars and Maturity Stages at Harvest” Preventive nutrition and food science, US National Library of Medicine.
6. “Effects of Pistachio Nut Supplementation on Blood Glucose in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial” The review of diabetic studies : RDS, US National Library of Medicine.
7. “The Nutrition Source” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
8. “A Pecan-Rich Diet Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial” Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine.
9. “The Role of Soy in Vegetarian Diets” Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine.
10. “The Nutritional Value of Egg Whites Versus Egg Yolks: What Do You Use?” A Healthier Michigan.
11. “Bone Health for Life: Health Information Basics for You and Your Family” NIH Osteoporosis And Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center.
12. “Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green” SELFNutrition Data.
13. “Oleuropein in Olive and its Pharmacological Effects” Scientia pharmaceutica, US National Library of Medicine.
14. “Pecans lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in people with normal lipid levels.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, US National Library of Medicine.
15. “Cocoa and Dark Chocolate Polyphenols: From Biology to Clinical Applications” Frontiers in immunology, US National Library of Medicine.
16. “Effects of bioactive compounds from carrots (Daucus carota L.), polyacetylenes, beta-carotene and lutein on human lymphoid leukaemia cells.” Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry, US National Library of Medicine.
17. “The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus.” Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine.
18. “Nutritional Value of Baked Kale Chips” SFGate.
19. “Effects of pistachios on body weight in Chinese subjects with metabolic syndrome” Nutrition journal, US National Library of Medicine.
20. “Effects of Dietary Yogurt on the Healthy Human Gastrointestinal (GI) Microbiome” Microorganisms, US National Library of Medicine.
21. “Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber.” Fitoterapia, US National Library of Medicine.
22. “The antiatherogenic, renal protective and immunomodulatory effects of purslane, pumpkin and flax seeds on hypercholesterolemic rats” North American journal of medical sciences, US National Library of Medicine.
23. “The effect of pumpkin seeds snack on inhibitors and promoters of urolithiasis in Thai adolescents.” Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, US National Library of Medicine.
24. “Nuts, almonds” SELFNutrition Data.
25. “Health benefits of almonds beyond cholesterol reduction.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, US National Library of Medicine.
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