Healthy Snacks Made Of Real Foods
Convenient munchies that will satisfy your craving, yet won't bust your healthful eating habits
What do you do when you’re starving for something to eat in-between meals? For me, I’ll start grabbing anything that’s edible around me or in the fridge. Fully aware of my tendency to scavenge, I always make it a point to stock my refrigerator only with healthy snacks, so that when hunger pangs strike, I’ll always have access to foods that aren’t just satisfying but also healthful.
Even if you’re on a diet, you shouldn’t stop snacking. Going too long without eating can cause your blood sugar to drop too low, leading to irritability, foggy brain and reckless eating. For some, very low blood sugar levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia, can even trigger emotional stress, such as panic attacks.
To balance your blood sugar, eat every three to four hours throughout the day. But, avoid gorging on high-fat and high-calorie snacks. Instead, opt for low-calorie snack foods that are nutrient-packed, like the ones I will show you later. These snacks are easy to carry around, full of antioxidants, and some are even powerful natural anti-inflammatories by themselves.
But a few cautions on snacks. Snacks are, well, snacks. They aren’t meant to replace regular meals. No matter how nutritious they may be, don’t go overboard with them and consume so much that you leave no room for well-balanced meals.
Though this is common knowledge, it’s still worth repeating: Whenever possible, avoid snacks that contained preservatives (read: organic), added sugar, colorings and other additives. Check the food labels because they disclose valuable information about the food you’ll be putting into your mouth.
Lastly, here’s a money-saving tip: Buy your favorite snacks in bulk and store unused ones in the refrigerator. It’s much cheaper than buying individual packs from health food stores.
Happy snacking!
Golden Berries
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Why it’s healthy:
Also called cape gooseberry and physalis, each golden berry is yellowish orange in color and comes enclosed in a paper-like husk that covers the fruit like a miniature lantern. In folk medicine, golden berries are used to treat a variety of ailments, including asthma, hepatitis, rheumatism and even cancer. A few studies on golden berries, such as the one carried out by Taiwan’s Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, have also found extracts of these cherry-sized berries to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Increasingly, fresh golden berries are also used as exotic garnish for cakes, pastries and other desserts. -
Try this:
Navitas Naturals Organic Sun-Dried Golden Berries
Sweet and tangy in taste, these pesticide-free golden berries can be enjoyed raw as a convenient snack or eaten with salads, ice creams and cereals for added nutrition.Also available in 3-in-1 Navitas Naturals Organic Berries Trail Mix.
Mulberries
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Why it’s healthy:
Mulberries come in different colors, depending on the type of mulberry tree they are harvested from. There are white, red and black mulberry fruits and each tastes slightly different from one another. Black mulberries are generally considered the best due to a good balanced of sweetness and tartness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, mulberries have traditionally been used to nourish the blood and to treat constipation. Mulberries contain resveratrol, the antioxidant found in grapes and red wine, as well as vitamin C, iron and trace elements. But avoid gorging on mulberries, as ingesting large quantity of these sweet berries may cause undesirable side effects. It’s interesting to note that the leaves of white mulberry are the only food source for silkworm larvae, which is cultivated for their silk. -
Try this:
Navitas Naturals Organic Sun-Dried Mulberries
Besides red wine, you can also boost your resveratrol intake with these dried mulberries from Turkey. They are great on their own as well as in cereals, salads, desserts and trail mix.Also available in 3-in-1 Navitas Naturals Organic Berries Trail Mix.
Goji Berries
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Why it’s healthy:
Also known as wolfberries, goji berries have been used as a form of medicine as well as food for thousands of years by the Chinese. Traditionally used as an eye tonic, modern scientific studies have now attributed the vision-protecting properties of goji berries to the high-levels of zeaxanthin, a form of carotenoid critical for healthy eyes, found in these small fruits. Goji berries are also packed with vitamin C, trace minerals, protein, amino acids, fats and other phytochemicals, earning them the superfruit moniker. -
Try this:
Navitas Naturals Organic Sun-Dried Goji Berries
Free of heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, these red ‘raisins’ are very versatile. Eat them on their own, drink them as tea, blend them with smoothies, or mixed them up with cereals, granola, yogurt and salads.Also available in 3-in-1 Navitas Naturals Organic Berries Trail Mix.
Blueberries
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Why it’s healthy:
Blueberries are well-known for their ability to douse chronic inflammation. Studies that have associated blueberries with better vision, improved memory, reduced intestinal inflammation and lower cancer risk can be traced to these miracle berries’ potent anti-inflammatory properties. The disease-preventing effects could be due to the anthocyanins, resveratrol and other phytochemicals found abundance in blueberries. -
Try these:
Eden Organic Dried Wild Blueberries
Fresh wild blueberries are hard to come by in many places. So, the organic dried wild berries from Eden is an excellent find. Unlike other dried blueberries which are either coated with refined sugar or gasp, high-fructose corn syrup, those from Eden are soaked in organic apple juice instead. Yummy and tasty! Comes in a convenient resealable pack.
Dates
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Why it’s healthy:
A staple food in the Middle East, dried dates are enjoyed everywhere now because of their wide availability and of course, their delicious sweetness. There are well over hundred types of dates, but dates can generally be categorized into three different groups: soft, semi-dry and dry. Besides containing high levels of energy-giving sugar, dates are also high in filling fiber, just what you need to stop a late afternoon hunger pang. But due to their high sugar content, go easy on them, especially if you’re watching your blood glucose levels. -
Try this:
United With Earth Organic Medjool Dates
These California-grown dates are moist, succulent and sweet. Just two of these will be enough to make a hungry man or woman contented. Certified pesticide and preservative free.
Figs
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Why it’s healthy:
Do you know that the fig is called “fruit without flower” in Chinese (无花果)? However, to be exact, fig is not a fruit but a combination of the flowers and seeds of the fig tree. A potassium powerhouse, figs are godsend if your diet contains high levels of sodium. Low potassium intake combined with a sodium-rich diet has been associated with high blood pressure. Figs are popular all over the world due to their refreshing sweetness. They are rich in dietary fiber and are a sweet source of calcium and magnesium. Like other dried fruits, figs also provide good amounts of antioxidants for people who adore them. -
Try this:
Made In Nature Organic Calimyrna Figs, Sun-Dried and Unsulfured
Come in a resealable pack, these calimyrna figs are satisfying in every sense. Once opened, you will likely find it hard to stop. But, remember it’s supposed to be a snack!
Apricots
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Why it’s healthy:
Looking somewhat like a peach, apricot is another fruit, other than fig, that has been cultivated by humans since ancient times. Apricots are rich in vitamin A and beta carotene, which are especially beneficial for the eyes. The high fiber content in apricots also make them a good choice for those with constipation. -
Try this:
Made In Nature Organic Apricots, Dried and Unsulfured
If you’re expecting dried apricots that are bright yellow in color, you’ll be disappointed by the dull brown apricots from Made In Nature. But don’t be fooled by their look. Because they are not treated with sulfur dioxide, these pitted apricots retain their natural goodness and taste. Now you can enjoy sweet and tangy apricots without worries!
Trail Mix
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Why it’s healthy:
If you’re looking a snack that contains a good mixed of proteins, carbohydrates, antioxidants as well as fats, then you won’t go wrong with a high-quality trail mix. Combining selected dried fruits, nuts and/or seeds, trail mix gives you the best of everything: the sweetness and tartness of dried fruits as well as the crunchiness of nuts and seeds. -
Try these:
Navitas Naturals Organic Trail Mix
Containing organic goji berries, cacao nibs and cashew nuts, you get the power of three superfoods in one handy package. While cacao nibs, which are simply raw chocolate, may take some getting used to when eaten by themselves, they give an instant burst in flavor that is not found in other trail mix when combined with goji berries and cashew nuts.
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great information I just made a trail mix of various nuts and dried fruit the other day.
Thanks, Crystal. Trail mix is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! And they are greatly satisfying and delicious too!
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