Nutritious, low-calorie snack ideas
MOST of us like to have a snack between meals — whether it’s to energise us for an exercise session or to provide a little filler before dinner time. Unfortunately, we often choose calorie-packed snacks that could be the equivalent of a full meal. But nutritionist and dietician Jenelle Solomon recommends choosing healthier low-calorie foods in order to ward off signs of premature ageing. “Calories, the potential energy a food contains, can cause humans to not age well if we overindulge and are not mindful of what we eat,” Solomon cautioned.She said that there are many benefits to choosing low-calorie snacks, one being the build-up of fewer free radicals in the body [which could become cancerous]. This is also caused by excess or unburned sugar in our bodies.Low-calorie snack ideas, Solomon said, can be as simple as eating a single fruit. Others include:
1. Fruit smoothiesUse apples, oranges, pineapples and cherries, and if you want, you can add some flax seeds. This is a refreshing, delicious combination. Adding flax seeds will help to fill the stomach and stave off hunger.
2. Dip and crackersWhether it’s flax seed crackers with guacamole or tortilla chips and a salsa dip, these are healthy choices. You can make the sauces and the baked products from scratch to make sure that you don’t have to deal with high-calorie ingredients often used in manufactured foods.
3. SandwichesTuna or turkey with wholewheat bread or even crackers or seed-based biscuits may be used. This is a light meal, but will leave you with a full stomach since these base foods are high in fibre.
4. Cookies and other baked productsFrom cookies to granola bars, they all can be made at home without adding many calories. Use oats or granola and fruits, nuts such as walnuts and pecan, or even dried cranberries to make cookies and granola bars.
5. SaladsUse fruits and vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, cherries, strawberries and grapes to make a light salad.
6. Nuts and berriesUse almond and other nuts or seeds such as flax or chia seeds which can be mixed in a bowl or just eaten as a snack.
7. Baked fruitsYou can bake or grill your fruits and vegetables. Baked apples and kale or even grilled pineapples make a great snack.
