How often have you gone to the office and not had time to make healthy food with you? Probably many times. Sometimes you wake up later than you should, get dressed quickly, and run to the office without realizing that you didn’t put a package of food in your bag. What is the saving solution? A healthy snack that you can buy at any supermarket.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll know what to look for next time you will take a trip to your favorite store! Sometimes we are not aware that we can find some nutrient-packed foods on the shelves, and on top of that, also very delicious! So I want to share some of the healthy snacks that you can never go wrong with.
Let’s get right to it:
- Nuts
Raw nuts and seeds contain essential fatty acids and healthy fats that maintain a healthy brain. They taste perfect and give you a feeling of satiety between meals. Choose almonds, walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, etc. But it is essential to choose raw nuts, as little processed as possible, and avoid fried, salted, or sweetened ones. Also, to avoid consuming a large number of calories, limit your snack to a maximum of a small handful of nuts a day.
- Dried Fruit
This one is the easiest to find in any store. Dried fruits have many benefits on the human body and are those fruits that are easy to eat anywhere, anytime. They are easy to store (in a small bag or casserole), easy to buy, and not expensive.
Dried fruits are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, containing many vitamins and minerals necessary for human vitality, offering almost the same health benefits as fresh ones. Rich in sucrose, fructose, and glucose naturally, they provide a constant source of energy.
Avoid dried fruits with added sugar! Some producers add artificial sweeteners to the fruits before they are dried to make them even more attractive and sweeter; these are candied fruits. Read the labels carefully before buying a pack of dried fruits.
- Protein bars
Protein bars are a popular snack because they are an easy and quick way to add protein and other nutrients to our diet when we have an active life and are very busy.
But beware: protein bars should never replace a varied and healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from natural sources. However, bars can be an excellent alternative in some situations, especially when tempted by unhealthy processed foods that we stumble across.
It is essential to read the product label carefully before choosing a protein bar because there are many products on the market that have a very high amount of sugar and sweeteners, much higher than the protein intake of the bar. Make sure the percentage of sweeteners is as low as possible. Look at the list of ingredients. They are labeled in descending order of quantity.
Pay attention to the number of calories in the protein bar. Do not exceed 300-350 calories per bar unless you want to increase your calorie intake and develop your muscles, in which case you may need more calories. The protein-carbohydrate ratio depends on your lifestyle – whether you are an active or less active person.
Avoid products that contain dyes, synthetic preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. We all already know that it is good to avoid chemicals in food because they can be harmful to our health.