Healthy Snacks That Will Keep You Going Throughout the Day

We’ve all been told that 3 square meals are a daily essential, but thanks to our busy lifestyles, most of us need a little something in-between. Although snacking is recommended to prevent the hunger pains, too much of the wrong food can lead to a diet downfall. Just for you, we’ve compiled the top healthy foods to snack on when you’re feeling a bit peckish, and they won’t pack on the pounds!

Almonds and Apricots

Not only are these tasty fruits high in fibre and protein, but they’re a great source of antioxidants like vitamin E and magnesium. They’re also low glycaemic and are rich in carotenes, meaning they can lower the rich of lung and throat cancer. From iron to potassium, silicon to phosphorus, almonds and apricots are great for the body.

Surprisingly, dried apricots are far more nutritional than fresh ones, and that’s because the nutrition is concentrated and sealed in the fruit. Apricots have over 10 times the iron of its fresh counterpart, and nearly 7 times the fibre! 20-25 almonds equates to around 250 calories, so they’re great for a pre-lunch snack!

Yogurt and Honey

Yogurt is high in calcium and low in fat, meaning it’s great for your gut as well as sating your hunger. Recent studies have also discovered that people who eat yogurts and received their calcium intake from the pot lost more weight around their stomach area. When shopping for yogurt, make sure you get low fat and unflavoured brands that are high in probiotic bacteria – when you add honey, you’ll be able to taste it more!

Not only can honey increase antioxidants in the blood, but it is also great for people with high cholesterol. If you like your tea and coffee, then honey is an excellent replacement for sugar. In fact, it can even reduce triglyceride levels in the body!

Apples and Pears

We all love our fruit, but apples and pears are exceptionally special. Both are high in pectin (fibre) and contain the cholesterol-reducing antioxidant quercetin. They also contain a lot of water, meaning snacking on these fruits will keep you hydrated throughout the day.

Pears are an excellent source of vitamin C, and are also high in potassium. Studies have shown that women that consume three or more pears a day lost weight compared to other fruit diets that didn’t contain pears.

Dark Chocolate

Your eyes are not deceiving you – chocolate is good for you! Well, dark chocolate anyway. Chocolate can be beneficial in a diet, as long as it’s not sugar-filled or the size of your hand. Dark chocolate is a great source of protein because it contains cocoa solids. These solids are made up of flavonoids, the same healthy elements found in red wine and tea.

Chocolate may be high in fat, but at least it’s the good kind – saturated fats, the same that’s found in olive oils. Furthermore, studies have shown that stearic acid, the main fat found in dark chocolate, has a neutralising effect on bad cholesterol.

Post by Tony on behalf of Range Cookers. If you’re looking for a new cooker to cook healthy meals with, rangecookers.co.uk stock a variety of electric cookers.