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A Guide to Healthy Snacking

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Although most people want to choose healthy nutritious snacks, their plans are often derailed. Snacking is largely about spontaneity but having a little knowledge and planning can make a big difference. To get started, these strategies and guidelines will turn snacking into an opportunity to eat well.

Healthy Snack Principles

Although a favorite snack is not going to be the same for every person, there are some general guidelines to follow:

* Whole foods make the best snacks. This means that choosing more unprocessed or minimally processed foods are going to be healthier than a bag of heavily processed chips. Choosing organic foods is also a good idea for a healthy choice.

* Good snacks contain a mix of carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates provide energy while protein promotes satiety. This is why a good snack could be fruit paired with a nut butter or vegetables with hummus.

* Healthy snacks contain fiber. Although protein promotes satiety, fiber is also a good way to avoid cravings and will make a snack more satisfying. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains primarily although there may be other sources as well.

* Healthy snacks are rich in nutrients. Instead of thinking of a snack as a splurge, think about it was a mini-meal. All meals should contain vitamins and minerals and be more nutrient dense than calorie dense. Choosing foods that contain nutrients and antioxidants can make a difference.

* Snacks should take into account dietary restrictions or preferences. For many people, food allergies are a concern. Think about how dietary restrictions may factor into snack choices.

Putting Together Snacks

For many people, snacks contribute to their calorie intake but a good snack should aim to be no more than 200 calories. Not only will this help keep a healthy diet on track, it won’t contribute to weight gain and may even lead to improved weight loss. Since many people find that they need a snack in the afternoon, make sure to have a healthy one on hand. This strategy will prevent unhealthy snack temptations.

If it’s possible to keep the snack cold during the day such as in a staff refrigerator, pack a snack that is perishable. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants so they’re great choices but need to be refrigerated in most cases, A good basic principle is to use a fruit or vegetable as a base and then add a protein source to make it a more satisfying snack choice. In fact, combination snacks such as cheese and vegetables can help with reducing the number of calories consumed.

Snack Examples

Although not all snacks will fit a person’s dietary preferences, these are a few examples:

* Lunchbox apple with 1 Tbs nut butter

* 1 cup fresh vegetables with hummus

* 1/2 cup nut and fruit mix

* 1/2 toasted bread with 1 slice cheese

* Greek yogurt with fresh fruit

These are just a few examples but the sky is the limit when it comes to healthy snacking. Use these principles to prepare healthy snacks.

References

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000338.htm

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/snack-nutrition-what-makes-healthy-snack.html

Healthy Snacks

Superfoods and Why You Need To Incorporate Them in Your Life

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One of the most important parts of living a healthy lifestyle is eating a diet rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. This will not only reduce the risk of certain health conditions but also make you feel great. Thankfully, the idea that it somehow takes more energy and time to eat healthily is not true. Although you may not have the time to cook healthy meals, there is an easy way to instantly eat healthily- incorporate superfoods in your diet. But what are superfoods?

Superfoods are food items packed with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins and that provide numerous health benefits. Although most of them are plant based some dairy products and fish also makes the cut. One of the best things about them is that anyone can enjoy the benefits that they provide. You can actually include them in your daily routine with very minimal effort. While superfoods are not an instant cure to most ailments, incorporating them in your meals can greatly boost your lifestyle.

Why you should incorporate superfoods in your life

 The high mineral and vitamin content found in superfoods can help keep you healthier by warding of diseases. When incorporated in a well balanced meal, these foods can greatly promote weight loss, heart health, and improve your overall energy levels. More so, the antioxidants found in them may help prevent cancer while the fats minimize the risk of a heart disease. Fiber can also help prevent digestive problems and diabetes. Superfoods are also known to help lower your cholesterol, protect your organs from toxins, reduce inflammation, and regulate metabolism.

 

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Common superfoods

Eggs- The good thing about eggs is that they are low in calories but high in proteins. Apart from that, they are also easy to enjoy.

Avocado- Due to their high concentrations of fiber and fats, avocados will make you feel fuller. The best part is that they go with anything, from salads to dips to breakfast. Overall, they can help you lose weight and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Salmon- One of the most important benefits of salmon is that they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. These acids can help reduce the risks of ailments such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis and also reduce inflammation. Salmon is also rich in selenium and vitamin D which are beneficial to your hair, bones, and nails.

Yogurt- Apart from proteins, one serving container of yogurt contains vitamin B-12, magnesium, and potassium. Some of them also contain healthy bacteria which can greatly improve your immune system.

Oatmeal- Apart from containing soluble fiber, oatmeal is also a good source of vitamin B1 and iron that can help change carbohydrate into energy. As a versatile food, oatmeal can either be eaten alone or used as an ingredient for other recipes.

Blueberries- Blueberries usually come with many benefits such as decreasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Since they are low in sodium, they can help you lower your blood pressure.

Beans- One of the best plant based proteins is beans. This is because they are rich in protein, phytochemicals, iron, magnesium, potassium, and certain vitamins. These nutrients can help protect you from colon cancer, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Kale- While most people like to make fun of kale, kale is very low in calories but high in fiber. They also contain protein, vitamin A and C, and antioxidants that prevent cancer.

Sweet potatoes- Sweet potatoes are some of the best sources of vitamin A, fiber, vitamin C and vitamin B6. All these can help keep you looking younger, prevent a heart attack, improve your vision, and promote your immune system.

While maintaining a healthy diet can be a huge challenge, incorporating these superfoods is the best way to get started.

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