Super Snack Foods

daniela · October 31, 2008

Healthy snack ideas for your hungry stomach.

For many of us, snack time is when we lose control of our diets, either by overeating, or by indulging in high-fat, high-calorie foods. This often happens because we allow ourselves to get too hungry and then are unable to stop ourselves from overeating, says Dee Sandquist, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and manager of the Nutrition and Diabetes Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington.

To avoid getting too hungry, Sandquist says she recommends always carrying a healthy, portable snack with you when you know you'll be out on the run without easy access to healthy food choices. Try getting at least two food groups in each of those Snacks so that you're getting a combination of carbohydrates and fat/protein, which will help keep you satiated longer, she adds. Here, some super snack food ideas:

Plain Yogurt with Blueberries - Pair plain yogurt with blueberries for a sweet treat that has a similar texture to ice cream. Yogurt is a great source of Calcium and Protein, and blueberries are packed with valuable antioxidants that help fight off heart disease. If fresh blueberries aren't in season, try frozen instead they work great in cool, creamy yogurt. Or if you get bored with blueberries, substitute any other frozen fruit like cranberries or cherries.

Recommended Serving Size:

Plain, low-fat yogurt, 1/2 cup, 56 calories

Blueberries, 2/3 cup, 30 calories

banana with Almond Butter - This combination will keep you satiated for a longer time than either on their own because of the combination of Fiber in the banana and Protein and fat in the almond butter. Bananas are also an excellent source of potassium, which helps prevent muscle cramps and is essential for normal brain function. Of course, Peanut Butter would be a great substitute for almond butter.

Recommended Serving Size:

Medium banana, 95 calories

Almond butter, 1 tablespoon, 101 calories

Hummus with Pita bread - Made from chickpeas, hummus provides protein, Fiber, and carbohydrates. Spread hummus on pita bread for some added carbohydrates. Also try putting some veggies on your bread to make a great sandwich.

Recommended Serving Size:

Hummus, 2 tablespoons, 83 calories

Pita bread, 1 round, 195 calories

Apple with Brie cheese - Stick to a small amount of cheese with this snack because of brie's high saturated fat content. However, brie does offer a good protein source. Apples have a low glycemic index, which means they keep hunger at bay longer than other fruits.

Recommended Serving Size:

Apple, 47 calories

Brie cheese, 2 ounces, 160 calories

Salsa w/ Baked Tortilla chips - Ingredients in salsa vary greatly, but most tomato-based vegetable salsas are an excellent source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and lycopene, which helps prevent heart disease and some cancers.

Avoid high-calorie fried chips by purchasing the baked varieties instead, and be sure to look for varieties that list zero trans fats on their nutrition labels.

Recommended Serving Size:

Salsa, 2 ounces, 20 calories

Baked tortilla chips, 1 ounce, 120

Light Microwave popcorn - Although this is a single-food snack, Sandquist says she recommends it because of its high fiber and B Vitamin content. Plus, who can resist the smell of popcorn?

Recommended Serving Size:

1 cup, 30 calories

cmmcguire66 · November 2, 2008

If you make that Greek yogurt, you really up the Protein content. Every morning for Breakfast, I have a Greek yogurt with either blueberries or strawberries, with about 1/4 cup of crushed up sliced dry roasted almonds. It is extremely good, filling, and blueberries and almonds are both "super foods."

Also, I always carry some kind of nuts with me in my bag. Trader Joe's makes a bag of individual packets of 50% less salt peanuts or cashews, as well as unsalted dry roasted whole almonds. Toasted soy nuts are good too, but it's not a taste everyone will like.