Snacking Can Be Healthy
Need a snack? No problem, say the folks at the AARP (www.aarp.org), just keep it healthy. If you watch what youre doing, you can get some of the fiber and nutrients your body needs through your snacking. You can also stave off some of those between meal hunger pangs that can cause you to overeat if you let them go too long. Smart snacking could help you reduce your calorie intake if you eat smaller meals and use your snacks to keep you going in between. Keep in mind that as you age your body needs fewer calories.
Here are come suggestions for healthy snacks:
- Fruit: fresh, frozen or dried.
- Raw vegetables cut and portioned in bags. Try carrots, celery, red and green pepper. You can dip them in low-fat dressing for a little extra zing.
- Whole-wheat English muffin with apple butter with a cup of herb tea.
- Slices of angel food cake with nonfat whipped topping.
- Whole grain crackers with reduced-fat cheese or peanut butter.
- Nonfat cottage cheese or yogurt with honey.
- A handful of nuts or trail mix.
- Hummus with whole-wheat pita bread.
- A smoothie (nonfat milk or yogurt blended with fruit).