Dear Sugar--
In the spirit of bikini season, I am trying to watch my weight. I am not going crazy with dieting, but I am trying to make better choices throughout the day since there is always so much junk food around my office.
Everyday, like clockwork, I crave a snack around 2:30-3:00. I have heard nuts are a good way to keep my energy up, but am I hurting my diet efforts by snacking on roasted peanuts? I know they are heavy in fat, but will natural fat work against me? Do you have any other tips? --Snack Time Sally
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Dear Snack Time Sally--
I can completely sympathize with you. Taming your hunger is no small feat, so I applaud you for taking a proactive approach. As unfair as it is, some people can snack away on everything from cookies to chips and not gain a pound, but others aren't as lucky. Now is a great time to step up your efforts with summer right around the corner!
Nuts are a healthy way to fill you up, but you are correct, they can be fattening. With that said, you don't need to avoid them altogether, rather limit your intake. Since nuts are so easy to snack on, and even though they contain the "good fat," keep your nut intake to a handful at the most. For a full fat/calorie breakdown, click here.
Bring snacks from home to help keep your diet in check. I always recommend string cheese, fresh and or dried fruit, whole wheat crackers, baby carrots, sliced celery, jicama, and low fat yogurt. Remember to stay hydrated and most importantly, keep up your willpower. Good luck!
Ose tes Pensﾎes
Patrizia Pepe
Development
I eat special K bars as a snack they are good and only 90cals!
1Just stay away from salted nuts, salt can make you retain water and feel bloated. Raw unsalted nuts are the healthiest. Try almonds, a few of those with some dried apricots make a great healthy snack!!
2I would skip the peanuts and eat a few almonds instead. My usual snack is lowfat string cheese or non fat yogurt with a piece of fruit!
3Baby carrots! I might try some crackers as well.
4i like the roasted almonds, but it's hard to find some without any salt at all. i just bought some planter's almonds, and they were supposed to be "lower in sodium, lightly salted" and eating those i can't imagine how salty their normal nuts must be! but it's so easy to forget yourself when you're eating them, so take a handful and put the rest away!
5I think if you keep the volume to a quarter cup or so you're fine. I prefer mixed nuts or plain raw almonds to peanuts. Even though other snacks might be lower in calories and fat, I choose to eat these because they absolutely never fail to fill me up. And it's better to just eat one snack than to keep going back for more because 10 baby carrots didn't do the trick.
6I find the serving size of nuts too small for my afternoon snack. I have to have something else like fruit or yogurt in addition to them.
7Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats which are the 'healthy fats' (same as the ones found in olive oil) AND have been associated with reducing the risk of heart disease. Not to mention.. they are high in protein. They help in lowering cholesterol levels and include a good source of antioxidants (as well as other nuts such as walnuts...). Snacking on a couple will help in lowering blood sugar and insulin rise after eating your next meal... which helps you feel fuller longer. Yes, there are other snacks you can choose from like carrots, apples... but I think almonds are also a great way to go. But definitly keep in mind moderation.
8what about that nutella stuff? is that good for you or just more junk? a friend gave my kids some and they liked it but it seems like filler, not so great.
9It's not the healthiest choice I would think. It's basically chocolate, hazelnuts, and sugar (lots of sugar). I also know that some brands of nutella contain partially hydrogenated oil - which is not good either. Be careful with which one you choose. Although Nutella tastes oh so delicious... I would rather stick to the all natural peanut butter.
10Almonds and walnuts are the recommended nuts, and in small quantities.
11Nutella is not full of nuts. It's just hazelnut chocolate spread.
12Nutella is AWESOME ... but not very healthy, LOL. Peanut butter is a much better choice.
13Nutella= the most delicious food ever but not healthy boo--- (when I lived in France i had a crepe with nutella everyday- but i was 17 so it didn't matter)
I wouldn't eat the cereal bar- it's only 90 cals but it's processed food so your body won't reap the same benefits as from whole foods- ditto on the crackers. They are both good occasionally but if you want a daily snack try whole foods. i like the almonds idea, cheese or fruit works well to. If you are anything like me buy single servings of nuts or get a big contain and measure out the servings yourself and baggie them b.c i have a tendency to over eat nuts.
TINA!
14lol, so basically nutella is like frosting! no wonder kids like it.
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