When you hear the word snack, what is the first thing that crosses your mind? Extra sugar, empty calories, and something you need just to satisfy your mid-day hunger needs, right? Well, not all snacks are bad. It depends on what you choose as your snack and what your objective is. If your objective is weight loss, many healthy snacks can help you achieve your goal.
Eating healthy snacks in between meals can help you curb your hunger and not overeat any meal. And, of course, healthy snacks will also make up for any kind of nutritional deficit. Now, what healthy snacks can you include in your diet to ace weight loss? We have curated a list of 10 such snacks to help weight loss and combat your mid-meal hunger needs!
10 Healthy Snacks That Aid Weight Loss
Here is a list of 10 such healthy snacks that can help you quicken your weight loss journey:
Coconuts (dried/fresh)
Coconuts can help you feel fuller for a longer time. Coconut’s medium-chain triglyceride fat aids in satiety. Coconut sugar provides instant energy and prevents hunger while also reducing cravings and lowering blood sugar levels. You can use fresh or dried coconut in smoothies, salads, and dishes. Cooking with edible coconut oil is a good way to consume coconut.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are high in protein and can help you in shedding off all that extra weight. They are also high in fiber, which is connected to weight loss. Fiber contains “filling” properties, so you’ll feel fuller for longer. It also delays the absorption of sugar from food, keeping blood sugar levels steady, healthy for your health, and waistline. Just toss some chickpeas in a pan and put all the masalas that you want to it. Dry roast it and eat it when you feel like eating a snack! You can also make hummus from pureed chickpeas and eat it with cucumber slices or roasted veggies!
Greek Yogurt
Compared to other low-protein, low-nutrient diets, Greek yogurt has been shown to reduce appetite, promote fullness, and delay subsequent eating. But the science extends beyond satiety. Greek yogurt includes a naturally occurring molecule called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) like grass-fed beef and other dairy products. Furthermore, the CLA present in Greek yogurt helps weight loss and insulin resistance. These supergroups are found in linoleic acid, connected to fat loss, long-term weight management, and good health.
Bowl of Fruits
Fruits may sound old-school but are the best options for a healthy weight loss. You can opt for one fruit or multiple fruits each day; the choice is yours. To make your meal even more interesting, you can garnish your fruit salad with chia seeds, mint leaves, and many other seasonings!
Oatmeal
Rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and plant-based protein, oatmeals can be your go-to recipe for weight loss. Oatmeal can make you feel full, thereby not letting you overeat. They also help in regulating your bowel movements.
Oatmeals also help in controlling insulin and boost the immune system. If you are mainly using oatmeal to lose weight, do not add sugar or anything that has too many calories. Pay attention to how much you are eating. Just because oats facilitate weight loss doesn’t mean that you can keep eating them all the time. Most importantly, avoid instant or flavored oats.
Fox Nut
Fox Nuts are also popularly known as Makhanas in India. They make up for one of the tastiest and healthiest snack options out there. They are considered nutritious and also have the tag of “healthy foods” on them! You can keep munching on fox nuts while still craving for more.
Fox nuts (also known as lotus seeds) are produced by a plant known as Euryale Fox, which thrives in ponds throughout eastern Asia. Because they are low in cholesterol, fat, and sodium, they are an excellent snack for when you get a sudden hunger pang. Moreover, they are free of gluten, high in protein, and high in carbs. The best part about fox nuts is that they can help you lose weight if eaten the way and in the correct quantity.
Dark Chocolate and Almonds
You may find it hard to believe, but yes, dark chocolate and almonds can help you lose weight if eaten in the right quantities. Dark chocolate and almonds are delicious, and you can carry them anywhere and everywhere.
Dark chocolate enhances your metabolism and prevents spikes in insulin. Eating dark chocolate in a balanced manner will help curb your cravings, thus preventing you from excessive eating of the same. Chocolates are also known to encourage exercise, thus allowing you to lose weight.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
It is simple to incorporate hard-boiled eggs into your diet, but that is not the only thing they can do to aid your weight loss efforts. They don’t let you feel hungry and minimize large spikes in blood sugar, thereby helping you lose weight more quickly. A diet rich in eggs helps to keep muscle mass intact, allowing you to burn fat more effectively, while other nutrients in eggs aid in the metabolism of carbohydrate and fat consumption.
Additionally, hard-boiled eggs provide essential nutrients such as vitamin B-12, vitamin D, selenium, and protein. If you feel like eating more eggs, all you have to do is just remove the yolk. Even if there is a small amount of yolk leftover on the egg white, you will still be able to get rid of most of the fat. Minus the yolk, you can enjoy few more eggs because a yolkless egg contains just 17 calories!
Chia Pudding
Chia seeds are incredibly tiny in size, and hence, their magic is often underrated. Those who know the benefits of chia seeds are sometimes unaware of incorporating them into a meal. A chia pudding can be a really healthy snack to lose weight. These seeds contain insoluble fiber and protein, which suppress your hunger and increase your satiety. Due to this, you tend not to overeat your meals leading to a good amount of weight loss. Chia seeds can either be dissolved in water and then consumed or added to puddings and desserts. The choice is yours!
Prunes
Dried prunes are an excellent way of regulating your digestive system. Prunes also help in restricting hunger. Research has shown that consuming prunes resulted in a considerable amount of weight loss reduction in the waist circumference from the baseline. Prunes are not just healthy but tasty too!
Now that we know the various healthy snacks options available, all you have to do is just quit those unhealthy snacking habits and take the healthy ride! All you need to take care of is the portion size. Just because the snack is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat without a full stop!
