Key Takeaways
- Typical snack choices are often low in fiber, protein, and other nutrients leaving you feeling unsatisfied and looking for more.
- Well-balanced snacks can help with weight management.
- Choose snacks that include protein, fiber, and fruits or vegetables.
- Snack quality is important to a healthy and life-long eating pattern.
Snacking accounts for about one-third of daily calorie intake among adults, with many of those snacks being low in nutrients and high in calories. Common snack foods are chips, cookies, crackers, ice cream, and candy. Regularly consuming low-nutrient-dense snack options is not optimal for good health.
It is important to mention that the complete elimination of these types of snacks is not required. If you prefer chips and dip or cake and ice cream, you should continue to honor your unique tastes and preferences. A Nourish dietitian can help you incorporate these types of snacks in a balanced way.
Swapping one-third of your daily calories for healthy snack options that include fruits and vegetables will provide you with essential vitamins and minerals, and fiber, which can help to maintain a healthy gut. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit daily and 2.5 cups of vegetables daily for adults. About 20% of Americans consume the fruit recommendation, with only 10% meeting the vegetable recommendation.
In this article, you’ll learn why healthy snacks can help with weight management and what type of healthy snacks to choose.
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Are Snacks Good for Weight Management?
Changing the types of snacks consumed can significantly impact daily nutrient intake and aid in weight management efforts. Studies have concluded that snacks containing protein, fiber, and whole grains can increase satiety, helping you feel fuller and more satisfied.
Many typical snacks lack protein and fiber, leaving a person hungry. These snack choices can lead to eating larger portions of low-nutrient-dense options. In addition, coming to a meal overly hungry from not incorporating balanced snacks can lead to overeating and can impair your weight management efforts.
What to Look for In Snacks
Start by changing your snack mindset. View these eating occasions as mini-meals that include protein, fiber, and fruits or vegetables. Balanced snacks will fill you up, provide energy between meals, and prevent overeating.
A reasonable snack estimate includes about 8 to 10 gm of protein, 5 gm of fiber (more than 15% of your daily value), and 150 to 250 calories per snack. This estimate is a general guideline. You may need more or less for snacks.
Recent research also indicates that adding one to two snacks per day may reduce digestive and metabolic overload from eating large meals. Eating more often can also help you to meet your daily food group and fiber goals.
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Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Below is a breakdown of healthy snacks for weight management.
Mixed Nuts
This portable and plant-based protein is also high in fiber. A one-ounce serving of mixed nuts can fill you up in between meals. One serving is 1 ounce or ¼ cup.
Nuts are known for their ability to reduce heart disease and diabetes risk. A large study of 16,215 people found lower heart disease and death rates in individuals with type 2 diabetes who were eating five or more servings per week.
This same study and another study on 50,422 women found that long-term nut consumption may prevent chronic diseases because they provide good sources of unsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, and antioxidants.
Fruit
Fruit can satisfy your sweet tooth and fill you up with fiber. A one-cup serving of berries provides 6 to 8 gm of fiber (25% of your daily needs), while a piece of fruit like an orange or apple provides about 4 gm of fiber.
Try pairing a different fruit daily with your favorite protein option (cheese, nuts or nut butter, yogurt) for a mini-balanced meal.
Vegetables and Hummus
Vegetables are high in fiber. Carrots, cauliflower, peppers, and broccoli are great raw vegetables to dip into hummus.
One cup of these vegetables provides about 5 gm of fiber, and the hummus offers an additional 2 gm of fiber and 2g of protein. This snack can be prepared ahead of time and stays fresh for several days.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese packs a protein punch with 11 gm in a half-cup serving. Cottage cheese is also an excellent source of calcium, a mineral that plays a major role in bone health.
Adding your favorite fruit to the cottage cheese will add fiber. This tasty, balanced snack keeps you full until your next meal.
Greek Yogurt and Berries
Among ten cohort studies, nine showed that yogurt intake was related to lower weight and waist circumference reduction.
Greek yogurt contains twice as much satiating protein as traditional yogurt, keeping you feeling fuller longer. Some brands also contain probiotics, which support a healthy bacterial balance in the gut.
Putting high-protein Greek yogurt with fiber-rich berries will help keep you full and satisfied.
Apples and Nut Butter
This classic snack is filling due to the fiber from the apple and the nut butter. Nut butter also provides healthy fats and protein.
Change things up, slice the apple into thin slices, and drizzle melted nut butter on top for your apple nachos.
Beef Jerky
Keeping portable snacks that don’t require refrigeration helps you to stay on track with your healthy eating goals. Beef jerky or meat sticks are a perfect high-protein portable option.
Choose jerky with less than 20% of the daily value for sodium. A serving of beef jerky is usually about 10 gm of protein.
Protein Smoothie
Blending some frozen berries, a scoop of protein powder, and water or your choice of milk can give you a quick energy boost.
The fiber in the berries and the protein powder will provide a filling and refreshing snack. One scoop of protein powder is around 10 to 12 gm of protein.
Turkey Roll-Ups
Rolling all-natural turkey slices with a slice of cheese like mozzarella or cheddar is a quick and easy snack. Turkey and cheese contain good amounts of protein.
You can even put raw vegetables or pickles inside for crunch and fiber.
Nourish can connect you with a registered dietitian who will customize your nutrition needs and help you plan meals and snacks. If you need help with weight management or balanced eating, consider booking a virtual appointment today.
Takeaways
Snacking accounts for about one-third of daily calories. Common snack foods are low in fiber, protein, and other nutrients leaving you feeling unsatisfied and looking for more.
Consider viewing snacks as mini-meals that help you to meet your daily fiber, protein, and fruit or vegetable intake. Swapping common snack foods like cookies or chips for healthy options like Greek yogurt and berries will keep you feeling full and satisfied.
Balanced snacks that include protein and fiber can prevent hunger between meals and overeating.
Having trouble losing weight? Take the weight loss quiz to understand your next steps and reach your goals.
Weight Management with a Dietitian
Incorporating strategically placed and balanced snacks is one way to achieve healthy weight loss. There are many healthful ways to lose weight with the help of a registered dietitian.
Find a dietitian near you that accepts insurance using Nourish.
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