6 best snacks for weight loss
If you’ve ever tried a fad diet, you’ll know just how bland and uninspiring the restrictive lists of “acceptable” food can be. Thankfully, you don’t have to sacrifice flavour in order to shed a few kilos. These tasty, filling and healthy foods will satisfy your cravings without damaging your waistline.
1. Chickpeas – These delicious, bite-sized morsels are perfect for when you’re yearning for something crunchy and satisfying – they’re packed with fibre and protein. Instead of reaching for the potato chips, drizzle some chickpeas with olive oil, season as desired and roast at 180°C for 30 to 60 minutes for an easy snack.
2. Popcorn – Everyone’s favourite cinema snack is low on calories and high in fibre. Just stay away from sugary varieties (like caramel and chocolate) and those cooked in oil or butter. Either make it yourself or go for an air-popped product at the supermarket.
3. Cottage cheese with cinnamon – Cottage cheese isn’t the most flavoursome food in the world, so spruce it up with some cinnamon to make a calcium- and protein-rich snack that won’t make a huge dent in your daily caloric intake.
4. Greek yogurt-dipped berries – A healthy take on chocolate-dipped berries, you can jazz up strawberries, raspberries and blueberries simply by dipping them into plain Greek yogurt and freezing them for 2-3 hours before eating. This snack is a great source of protein, calcium, amino acids and antioxidants.
5. Dark chocolate – Because it has a much more intense flavour than milk chocolate, dark chocolate helps satisfy that craving without making you want to finish the whole block. Simply choose one with at least 70 per cent cocoa and aim to only have two squares a day.
6. Apple and peanut butter – Sweet and salty, the combination of fibre-rich apple slices with healthy protein- and fat-filled peanut butter makes for a filling and delicious afternoon treat. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, switch it for one of its relatives like almond or cashew butter.
Tell us in the comments below, what’s your go-to healthy snack?