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Healthy Eating

Healthy snack ideas

We've got eight ideas for what to eat when you're feeling hungry or low on energy.

By Judd HandlerTue, Feb 08 2011 at 1:05 PM EST
 16

Edamame GREEN IS GOOD: Edamame sprinkled with sea salt makes a healthy snack. (Photo: mamamusings/Flickr)
Don’t reach for that doughnut just yet. Here are some guidelines for choosing healthy snacks.
 
When snacking, it’s a good idea to think about blood sugar levels. If you consume a sugary snack, chances are your blood sugar levels will spike. And although you may feel a temporary rush of energy and an elevated mood, you’ll most likely feel like you’ve hit a brick wall and experience a crash shortly after snacking on high-glycemic index foods.
 
After crashing, you’ll feel hungry again and repeat the vicious cycle.
 
A little background …
It’s important to keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. Therefore, when we eat snacks, we want to apply the same fundamental rule to that of each of your regular meals. (Hopefully, you’re eating breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, to maintain steady blood sugar and help burn fat.)
 
Our fundamental rule is that we always want to combine the following three macronutrients when eating:
  • protein
  • carbohydrates
  • natural fat
Combining macronutrients ensures that you’ll feel full longer and won’t need to binge on sweets. In fact, if your regular meals have a good ratio of the three macronutrients, you might find you may not have to snack at all.
 
Pay attention to your body
Start paying attention to how you feel after eating a meal. If you feel full for three to four hours after eating and don’t have bloating or a drop in energy, then whatever you just ate is the right macronutrient proportion for you.
 
For example, a breakfast of two eggs, one piece of sprouted whole grain bread with a little dab of butter and two small slices of all-natural bacon may satisfy you for several hours.
 
To keep your blood sugar levels steady, it’s a good idea not to go more than four hours during the day without eating. So taking the breakfast example above, say, eaten at 8 a.m., you’ll want to eat lunch at about noon.
 
Maybe you don’t get home till 6 p.m. If you wait till then to eat dinner, you’ll likely be tired and cranky, so it’s a good idea to have a late afternoon snack.
 
What are some healthy snack choices?
Here are some examples of healthy snacks that combine all three macronutrients:
  • Celery and raw almond butter: celery is a carbohydrate; almond butter is both protein and natural fat.
  • Cheese and crackers: opt for grass-fed cheese for higher essential Omega 3 fatty acid content if possible and gluten-free rice crackers for less intestinal bloating.
  • Hummus and carrot sticks: hummus contains a little protein and natural fat.
  • Nitrate and nitrite-free jerky: contains protein and natural fat; you don’t always have to include a carbohydrate if you can digest meat efficiently.
  • Edamame sprinkled with sea salt: edamame is the whole soybean and it contains both protein and essential trace minerals if sprinkled with sea salt.
  • Greek yogurt: unless you’re on a restricted diet, go for the full-fat variety, which will keep you full for longer and includes all three macronutrients.
  • Apple slices with honey and olives: perfect for those who crave sweet and salty.
  • Organic turkey breast slice with crackers: turkey contains both protein and natural fat. (It’s easy to bring a package of healthy deli slices with you to work; just make sure your coworkers don't steal it!)
 
Even nutritionists, dieticians and health coaches fall off the wagon. If you do and reach for a doughnut, the best thing to do is to eat a little protein and natural fat (preferably before eating the doughnut) to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
 
But if you adopt these healthy snacking ideas, hopefully, your cravings for sugary junk food will subside.
 
Judd Handler is a freelance health reporter and certified Metabolic Typing Advisor and Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist living in Encinitas, CA. You can reach him at coachjudd@gmail.com
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Related Topics: Food, Health & Well Being, Healthy Eating

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anonymous
Jeremy Nebraska 05/23/2012 12:57 PM

Are there any other beans, like the soybean, that are just as healthy? I am allergic to soy, so i'd like to find a replacement.

Thank you.

anonymous
Sherry Johnson 03/30/2012 17:07 PM

Edamame should not be recommended unless it's certified organic. Otherwise, it is VERY likely GMO. Nearly all of the soy grown in the United States is genetically modified.

anonymous
Jane Johnson 03/29/2012 14:13 PM

celery is a carbohydrate???

anonymous
Hmmmmm.... 01/27/2012 14:07 PM

It look healthy, but way to much salt for it to be good for your cardio vascular system.

anonymous
Enter your name 05/04/2012 20:28 PM

*look into the benefits of sea salt~ It's a natural mineral

anonymous
margaret 11/20/2011 02:28 AM

Hummus, veggies and nut butter and celery are quick favorites!
http://www.veganrawfood.net

anonymous
jan@eatingplansforweightloss.info 08/27/2011 03:56 AM

These are great tips, I heartily agree with the Greek Yogurt (not light version), I drizzle a small serve with a bit of honey. With the hummus, I like it on organic wholegrain bread for a bit more of a filling snack than with crackers. Afternoons are my worst time if dinner is a long time off and the time when I really need to watch what I eat!

Also re the sugar comment, the less you eat the less you will want it. Take it from an ex-chocoholic! I still love lollies (and chocolate) but I.... More

anonymous
Sharon 08/19/2011 05:19 AM

Great tips and it's also a healthy food did. Thanks for sharing

anonymous
sokkergrl 08/16/2011 12:18 PM

i went through chemotherapy in the recent past and towards the end of it all I could eat was hummus with veggies and Hagendaz vanilla ice cream. When chemotherapy ended I hated hummus but have recenly rediscovered it as a great healthy snack.

anonymous
Enter your name 06/29/2011 23:26 PM

These are great ideas for low calorie snacks that will be satisfying, taste great, and will not lead to a spike in blood sugar. I will recommend them for my patients with diabetes and for those that need to watch their weight. Sybil Kramer MD
www,diabeticsurvivalkit.com

anonymous
Perfect Shape 05/20/2011 11:15 AM

Great post!

I would add that keeping our brain in shape is also extremely important. Here is a selection of top 10 foods for the brain :

1. Salmon
2. Blueberries
3. Nuts and seeds
4. Whole Grains
5. Tea
6. Flax
7. Eggs
8. Coffee
9. Chocolate
10. Green Vegetables

anonymous
Jennifer @ NaturalParentsNetwork.com 05/08/2011 23:51 PM

As a pregnant momma with 2 boys, snacking is my life. Meals are hard! Some of our favorites are peanut butter on brown rice cakes, avocado mixed with precooked (can't eat canned, ew!) black beans on gf pita chips, and meat and cheese wraps with wedge of tomato inside! Along with any fresh fruits or veggies on hand. We just discovered apples dipped in honey greek yogurt, I am hoping it will become a favorite for my kids 'cuz I sure love it!

anonymous
kevin 02/09/2011 16:13 PM

i'm a vegetarian who strives to eat three meals and two snacks each day. i find it not only keeps me feeling energetic throughout the day, but also helps me avoid (as my partner would call them), my crabby, "do you need a cracker?" moments. :)

since you asked, my current favorite afternoon snacks are:

whole grain bruschetta toasts with peanut butter and thinly sliced apples. if the apple is more tart than sweet, sometimes i add a stream of agave nectar.

blueberries and.... More

anonymous
Wendy Jackson 02/09/2011 14:22 PM

These are great suggestions, but how would you go about eating the edamame? steamed maybe?

anonymous
Anon 02/14/2011 15:43 PM

i've never had edamame any other way. i think you have to steam them.

anonymous
Snack Girl 02/09/2011 08:53 AM

Great post! My favorite website for healthy snack ideas is called Snack Girl.

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