10 Guilt Free Snacks

March 28th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

Let’s face it: We all love to snack. No matter what our moms or doctors tell us about eating between meals, or how much we try to resist, we still give in to temptation and indulge in this guilty pleasure. Since it is unavoidable, why not snack the healthy way, and feel great about it at the same time, knowing that what you eat will have great benefits to the body.

Eating in between meals might even have greater benefits than your usual meals! Here are ten snacks to make you feel and look great:

Dark Chocolate

A favourite snack among many is the classic chocolate bar. Known to cause sugar-high and weight gain, it has become such a guilty indulgence. Don’t fret, you can still have your chocolate and eat it too, by eating dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa and less sugar and cocoa butter than the usual chocolate bar, and is even good for you! Although the subtle bitter taste takes getting used to, if you love chocolate, you’ll love dark chocolate.

Low-Fat Yoghurt

Cheap and easy to eat on the go, low-fat yoghurt is great help at keeping you healthy and away from those nasty illnesses that pop up every once in a while. Also known as ¡®live culture’, it contains enzymes that help your digestion as well as vitamins and essential minerals. It may take a little while for yoghurt to be palatable to some, but these days fruit yoghurt is the trend, and tastes better than plain yoghurt. However, look out for ¡®low-fat’ labels when buying yoghurt, as full-fat yoghurt, is as it title suggests, full of fat.

Fresh Fruits

Known to all, fruits are a great source of vitamins and fibre, to get the body in shape and even to detox. Snacking on fruits proves to be one of the best snacks, because it leaves you feeling full and satisfied all the way till dinner time, due to its high satiety. And there are tons of fruits we’ve all heard about but never tried, which makes it all even more wonderful to snack on them. They can easily be found in your local supermarket, and the rich colours are just as appealing to the eyes as they are good for the body.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches

This is a delicious snack, and even brings back childhood memories! Peanut butter may have the same amount of calories as plain ol’ butter, but it has a ton more nutrients that do the body wonders. Rich in protein and vitamin E, it’s even a great snack food for vegans. Bananas are easy to buy and store, and even better to the taste. Rich in fibre, this fruit forms a fantastic partnership with peanut butter. Eaten on wholemeal or multigrain bread, this is one snack to love.

Cereal and Skim Milk

Not only great for breakfast, cereal is also excellent as a snack! Of course, the right type of cereal is essential, so choose wisely: Most cereals contain much sugar and colouring, which ultimately defeat the purpose of eating cereal. Choose cereals with more grains, oats or even nuts, which are very beneficial to your daily diet. Eaten with low-fat milk, cereal is a great boost of energy during lazy afternoons.

Granola Bars

There’s been much debate as to whether granola bars are a good snack or just as evil as any other candy bar. The safest way to enjoy a granola bar without the guilt is by making your own! Most store-bought granola bars have a large amount of sugar, fat and additives, hence experts recommend making your own from scratch. Here’s one recipe to try!

Carrot/Celery Sticks

This snack may take a little more preparation time than the others (except the granola bars), but has just as many benefits as the rest, if not more. Carrots are rich in vitamin A and antioxidants, while celery provides fibre and prevents gout and arthritis. Easy to snack on even during busy schedules, these are somewhat addictive; once you start munching you can’t stop.

Go Nuts!

Keeping with the munching theme, nuts are also good to have during those slight hunger pangs. High in calories, they should be munched, of course, in moderation. Walnuts are high in antioxidants, and have omega-3 fatty acids which help maintain elasticity of arteries. Pecans, Pistachios and Almonds are a good source of protein, while sesame seeds are a packed with vitamin E. Who knew munching could be so good?

Oatmeal

Known to reduce cholesterol and keep the heart healthy, oatmeal is another terrific snack. Gone are the days when you needed to slave over the stove in order to make a wholesome bowl of oatmeal; these days the instant oatmeal just needs you to add hot water. Eaten with sugar and milk, it is really up to you how you want to jazz it up: Add raisins to substitute sugar, and add water biscuits to give it more depth. You can even add chocolate sauce or fruits to be a little more adventurous.

Water

Yes, water is the last thing that comes to one’s mind when feeling hungry, but sometimes it’s all you need. Try gulping down a glass of water when the sudden urge to snack sneaks up and you may find yourself feeling full already, which means that urge was really just an urge, and not hunger. Plus, it adds to the daily amount of water required by the body, and has zero calories, so go crazy drinking water!

The next time you feel like having a snack but feel a hint of guilt, don’t be! Remember that you can snack and feel guilt-less, and munch your way to good health.

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