Snacks can be a delicious and healthy option to keep you fueled and satisfied during the day, but they can also be quite sneaky sources of added sugar and artificial ingredients. These smart swaps help to amp up the fiber, protein and nutritional value of your favorite bites and minimize any unnecessary sweeteners or junk to help avoid that dreaded sugar crash.
1. Instead of crunchy, salty snacks, try nuts.
A bag of potato chips is full of salt and, often, unhealthy saturated or trans fats. Nuts like cashews, walnuts, or almonds provide heart-healthy unsaturated fats, protein and fiber. But they are high in calories. Limit to a handful of nuts per day.
2. Dark chocolates instead of sweets and normal chocolates
Instead of cookies or cake, eating dark chocolate can be just as satisfying with a lower sugar content.
3. Plain or greek yogurt instead of ice cream
A half-cup of vanilla can have 140 calories and 14 grams of sugar. The same portion of nonfat Greek yogurt, which is creamier and thicker than regular yogurt, has only 73 calories and a fraction of the sugar.
4. Try cereals with lower in sugar and higher in wholegrains
We all love crunchy cereals, but it can often be loaded with sugar and ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. To add crunch to your yogurt, opt for a healthy fiber cereal carrying “Lower in sugar” and “Higher in wholegrains” symbol. You’ll still get that satisfying crunch without all of the added sugar, plus a healthy dose of filling fiber.
5. Eat frozen or fresh fruits instead of candy
Candy contains high amounts of sugar and artificial additives. Frozen or fresh fruits can help satisfy any sweet tooth and contain no added sugar. Remember to have two servings of fruit every day.