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If you are not familiar with the paleo diet, also known as the paleolithic, caveman or Stone Age diet, it is based on how humans ate before the Agricultural Revolution. It’s a recreation, as much as possible in the modern world, of the hunter-gatherer’s diet.
When it comes to looking for healthy snacks, and snacks that are not fattening, there is no better place to look than the paleo diet, which rules out many junk foods typical of most snacks, such as refined sugar and grains. There are even no potatoes allowed in the paleo diet, so you can forget about potato chips!
In fact, even if you don’t strictly follow the paleo diet, you may want to seriously consider adopting it for your snack regimen. It can really make a big improvement in your eating habits, energy levels throughout the day and caloric intake. Let’s look at some of the paleo-friendly snacks we can start consuming as substitutes for the less healthy ones we are so used to.
Fresh Fruit -it is no mystery that fruit is healthy, but many people seldom eat it. Incidentally, fresh fruit is better in most cases than juice because even unsweetened fruit juice is highly concentrated and you may be getting more sugar and calories than you realize. With fresh fruit, you will tend to consume it in moderation. Of course, there is also the fact that when you eat whole foods you get the entire nutritional content of that food instead of just part of it. Remember, cavemen did not have juicers!
Salad & Vegetables- greens always make a healthy snack. You can mix up any kind of salad and veggie combination you like. Since the paleo diet is not vegetarian, you can also add natural, preferably organic fish, eggs or meat. No carbs like potato or macaroni though.
With salads, watch what kind of dressing you use, for these often contain lots of sugar, sodium and calories. It’s best to use oil and vinegar or all natural dressings. Try making tahini dressing. This is easily made from tahini paste (which is crushed sesame seeds), water and either lemon juice or vinegar. You can also add sea salt and garlic to taste.
Dried Nuts & Fruits – also sold as trail mix. Try to get organic dried fruit and nuts, though any all natural mix is good. Okay, maybe cavemen did not eat trail mix either, but this is still a healthy way to consume these nutritious foods. Nuts are very high in protein and healthy fats. Peanuts are the least healthy of nuts, so try to stick to other nuts such as almonds, walnuts and cashews.
Chip Alternatives- you can now find healthy snacks that are alternatives to things like potato chips and pretzels. These are usually vegetable based chips. Sea veggie chips can be quite tasty and have many essential minerals. There are also chips made from fruits such as banana, plantain and mango.
These are just a few healthy snack ideas that are consistent with a paleo diet. Getting into the habit of eating healthier snacks can help you feel better and lose weight.
For more ideas, check out the paleo diet cookbooks.
Tags: paleo diet
Many people eat cereal every day for breakfast or as a snack, but what exactly makes a healthy cereal? The fact is, most commercial brands of cereal, many aimed at children are very high in sugar. This alone excludes them from the healthy category! While these cereals are “fortified” with vitamins and nutrients, you are still consuming many calories along with the other unwanted side effects of sugar such as sudden spikes and drop in energy. Sugar has also been associated with many health conditions. So if you are looking to lose weight or have consistent energy during the day, a high sugar cereal isn’t the best option.
What about organic and other cereals or granolas marketed as healthy? Sadly, many of these are also high in sugar, though usually a more “natural” or organic form Generally, you can tell how much sugar a product has by looking at where it’s listed on the ingredients list. If some form of sugar, whether it’s a form of fructose, corn syrup, maple syrup or other sweetener is one of the first three ingredients, you are getting a high sugar product.
Other things to look for in a healthy cereal are whole grains and fruits. One thing you can do is start with a very basic, unsweetened granola or cereal made from whole grains and add your own healthy items to make your own mixture. This can be blueberries, goji berries or any kind of very, a healthy sweetener like raw honey or pure maple syrup used in moderation, organic yogurt, flax seeds, raisins, organic dried fruit, or wheat germ.
What about what you pour on your cereal? If you want something healthier than plain milk, try organic milk or yogurt, rice milk or almond milk. Soy milk is commonly sold as a milk alternative, but the health benefits of non-fermented soy are quite controversial and its probably best not to get into the habit of consuming lots of soy. You can look this up to find the research on it if you aren’t familiar with the possible dangers of soy.
If you are looking for healthy snacks for kids, a more wholesome breakfast or something to take to work to munch on between meals, healthy cereal is a great alternative.
Tags: healthy cereal
Kids love snacks. If you’re not careful, they can develop a serious junk food habit at a young age. There’ s no reason why snacks have to be unhealthy. What are some healthy snacks for kids? In many cases, it’s just a matter of taking foods that kids already love and making some adjustments.
Lately we have heard about the epidemic of obesity among children, which is something all parents should be aware of. In addition to paying attention to your kids’ diet, it’s also important to make sure that they get regular exercise. It’s too easy today, for children and adults alike, to develop sedentary habits with so much entertainment available online and on TV.
Sweets
All kids, and most adults as well, love sweets. There are some ways to make sweet snacks healthier. If you buy candy or cookies for your children, choose some of the organic or all-natural brands available in natural foods stores or the health food section of your supermarket. Even better, bake some treats and learn to use moderate amounts of all natural sweeteners like honey, organic raw sugar, agave syrup or stevia. Even these natural sweets should be consumed in moderation, as they can cause the blood sugar spikes that can contribute to hyperactivity in kids.
Healthy Pizza, Burgers and Hot Dogs
Why not make some healthy alternatives to traditional favorite junk foods? For pizza, you can get some organic, whole grain English muffins and put fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce on them, creating a fast and delicious pizza. Let your kids try vegetarian alternatives to burgers and hot dogs. Putting toppings like mustard, ketchup, onions or sauerkraut can give them an authentic taste.
Chip Alternatives
You can also find natural and organic potato and corn chips, as well as veggie chips.
Fruit
Fruit is always healthy, whether fresh fruit, dried fruit or juice. In all cases, look for natural or organic products without added sweeteners. If you have a juicer, the possibilities are limitless. You can mix all kinds of healthy fruits and vegetables together, making truly healthy energy drinks!
Even when it comes to healthy snacks for kids (as well as adults), it’s important to watch the salt and sugar levels. These can be high even in otherwise healthy, all-natural and organic foods. When it comes to any kind of chips, you can sometimes find salt free varieties. You can make homemade popcorn and put on your own salt, which can usually be tasty using half the amount used in commercial prepared and microwave popcorn!
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Tags: healthy snacks for kids
Healthy Snack Food
Welcome to the Healthy Snack Food blog! This site is dedicated to the idea that your snacking habits have a big impact on your health -whether your goal is to feel better, lose weight, have more energy or control your blood sugar levels.
Healthy snacks can take many forms, from trail mix to fresh fruits and vegetables to healthy energy bars and drinks. The problem is that today many products are marketed as healthy without really being that good for you. This may be because of added sugar, chemicals or preservatives or for other reasons not disclosed in the advertising or product label.
This blog will look at and review this quickly changing marketplace and help you to find the healthiest snack choices.
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Tags: healthy snack food, healthy snacks