The ideal snacking foods, contains either complex carbohydrates (nuts, dried or fresh fruit, vegetables or wholegrains) or protein (milk, cheese, nuts or seeds), or a mixture of the two. “Both complex carbs and protein take a while for your body to digest, meaning you feel fuller for longer.
When choosing snacks, try to keep them under 200 calories each. With some larger packs of crisps now containing at least 250 calories – and the same goes for many chocolate bars – by swapping to our suggestions below, you could save 100 calories a day. Which adds up to a weight loss of over 10lb a year!
MID-MORNING MUNCHIES
YOU WANT A KitKat with your elevenses WHY? “Blood sugar levels have dipped post-breakfast, but coffee with a biscuit is often just a habit, Instead, satisfy your sweet tooth with…
– 40g granola; a good source of fibre with a low GI (glycaemic index), it releases energy slowly and won’t send
your blood sugar levels soaring
– Blueberries and low-fat yogurt; the yogurt is a good source of protein (check it isn’t high in sugar); and the
blueberries are packed with antioxidants, especially reservatrol, which may protect against Alzheimer’s
– 12 almonds, 1 orange; almonds are high in omega-3 fatty acids; oranges are packed with vitamin C and prebiotic
fibre, which helps reduce cholesterol
– 1 unpeeled apple, sliced, with 1tbsp peanut butter; fibre, antioxidants and protein, and apple peel has up to six times more antioxidants than the flesh
– 2 apricots, 9 roasted cashews; nuts are high in magnesium and iron; apricots in potassium and vitamin A
– 1 biscotti, skimmed-milk latte; the lower-cal, lower-fat answer to a cappuccino and chocolate biscuit
MID-AFTERNOON MOOD SWINGS
YOU WANT Comfort food – cake, buttered toast – to get you through the energy slump WHY? “Between 4 and 5 pm,
there’s a dip in serotonin levels [the happy hormone], which is why we crave feel-good foods at this time. Instead, boost your mood with…
– ½ medium avocado mashed with a little sea salt; avocado is creamy and satisfying, low in saturated fat and has nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
– Turkey slices wrapped around apple slices; turkey contains protein and amino acid tryptophan, which creates serotonin; apple contains pectin, which helps reduce cholesterol
– 1 frozen banana; same satisfaction as an ice cream/lolly but without the fat or sugar, plus tryptophan and high levels of vitamin B6 to help with mood swings
-4 dried figs; sweet, sticky and high in calcium, fibre, protein and potassium
– 1 slice malt loaf; great low-GI choice and a good source of iron and mood-enhancing B vitamins
– Handful roasted pumpkin seeds; great source of tryptophan, plus magnesium and zinc.
JUST-IN-FROM-WORK FORAGING
YOU WANT A large bowl of crisps and nuts WHY? “You’re tired, dinner is a few hours away and you need something to take the edge off your appetite. Instead, nibble on…
– Vegetable crudités, low-fat dip; vary the colours of the veg for maximum vitamins and antioxidants – try carrot sticks, sliced red and yellow peppers
– 2 wholegrain breadsticks with 1tbsp low-fat houmous; breadsticks contain fibre; houmous is packed with vitamins B and C, and zinc, phosphorus and iron.
– Cherry tomatoes and pine nuts; tomatoes are high in lycopene – a phytochemical that may protect against cancer – and vitamin C; pine nuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
– Bowl sugar-snap peas with a little grated Parmesan; sugar-snap peas contain huge amounts of vitamin C; Parmesan contains calcium and protein.
– Vegetable sushi rolls; rice is rich in fibre; gari and nori used to make sushi come from nutrient-rich seaweed
– Bowl zero-sugar cereal, such as All Bran; as much fibre as 5 slices wholemeal bread or 6 apples, plusB vitamins and vitamin D
TIME FOR BEDROOM FOR A BIT MORE
YOU WANT Whatever’s left over in the fridge! WHY? “Boredom, or just snacking for the sake of it. Late-night snacking is usually comfort eating. Ideally, choose something fiddly or time-consuming to distract you. Instead, curl up with
– Bowl cherries; great source of antioxidants and fibre
– Small bowl frozen grapes; choose red grapes for best source of reservatrol and vitamin C
– Popcorn; higher in polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) than veg, according to scientists. Buy popping corn from the supermarket and microwave – resist the urge to add salt and sugar
– Pear and string/peelable cheese stick; great combo of fibre, antioxidants, calcium and protein. Peeling and nibbling the cheese is wonderfully distracting
– Warm milk with 1tsp cinnamon and vanilla essence, to taste; milk contains calcium, protein and tryptophan, which
boosts serotonin and also aids sleep; cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar levels and reduces cravings – the
perfect snack to end the day.
