Pamela Ofstein is the Director of Nutrition Services at eDiets.com, a leading provider of weight loss services, information and products.
Snacking can be a great for weight loss and eating healthy. Snacking between meals helps stabilize your blood sugar levels and keep your energy and motivation high – extremely important when it comes to losing weight. For most of us, it’s hard to stay focused on activities when we have no energy!
If you’re looking for low-carb foods, there are so many great snack choices: non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, green beans), low-fat cheese or cottage cheese, nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews), or peanut butter are some options.
Of course, you need to remember that portions count and even though it may be a low-carbohydrate food, it does have calories. It’s important to keep that in mind and not overdo consumption in terms of calorie intake.
Snacks or small meals should focus on low-calorie, balanced snack options. Try to include snacks that have high nutritional value and don’t fill you up with simple sugars or excess calories.
My recommendation for low-carbohydrate snacks is to keep the carbohydrate intake on the lower side and balance it out with protein and healthy fat. Snacking this way will help to keep your blood sugar from fluctuating and provide your body with the protein (helps your muscles) and fat (provides satiety) it needs. In addition, by including vegetables, whole grains and fruits, you’ll get the added benefit of fiber.
For simple low-carb snacks, try these combinations:
- Cottage cheese with almonds
- Peanut butter with celery or a few slices of apple
- Low-fat cheese with nuts
- Slice of low-sodium deli meat and low-fat cheese
- Tuna salad and veggies
See our eDiets review or Get more advice on losing weight and living better from the experts at eDiets.com.
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