Don’t we all wonder about a magical way of not having to skip the snacks and still lose weight? Well, what if we could find equally yummy but primarily healthier alternatives to your favourite snacks? According to dieticians, weight loss is not entirely about your diet it is more about how nutritiously you are eating and the kind of lifestyle that you are following. There are several healthy snacks that are rich in proteins, dietary fibres, and healthy fats, but low in calories. Such weight loss snacks tend to keep you full for a long time and with a lower amount of calories. Win-win!
Let’s have a sneak into some nutritious and delicious snacks for weight loss approved by dieticians.
Best Healthy Weight Loss Snacks
1. Nuts and Seeds Granola Bars
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Easy to carry, low on sugar, and a simple recipe, what else do you need. Granola bars are a great way to please your senses without adding to your waist size. They also make for a great before and after workout snack. Nuts and seeds granola bars are fortified with sufficient amounts of proteins, dietary fibres, and essential vitamins to keep the body energised, improve metabolism, and keep the stomach feeling fuller.
2. Instant Oatmeal
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Oats are the quintessential healthy food offering a wide range of health benefits. Oats are filled with a soluble fibre called Beta Glucan. This fibre improves brain functioning and can help in maintaining blood sugar levels. Also, it targets lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. Oats are rich in proteins and also provide necessary vitamins and minerals. Not just that, these are cooked much quickly because of their high water absorption capacity.
Also Read: Late Night Snacks
3. Berries and Walnuts Mix
Image Courtesy: Natalie Rizzo
Walnuts and berries are a perfect combination of a delicious yet weight-loss-friendly snack. They are rich in fibre, antioxidants, a host of vitamins and minerals, and necessary fatty acids. To add more flavour they can be served with low-fat cream or greek yogurt. This fruity, sweet, and nutty snack will leave you feeling fuller and won’t even cause a disbalance in your weight.
4. Boiled Eggs Salad
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Salads are probably the most effortless and easiest to prepare. Egg salads are one of the healthiest variants of a salad and help with weight loss. Eggs are known as an excellent source of protein for the body. Paired with veggies, it can prove to be wonderful as a regular snacking option. You can add your favourite vegetables like capsicums, broccoli, bell peppers, and onions, or spice it up with a pinch of black pepper and salt.
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5. Greek Yoghurt and Berries
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Greek yogurt and berries are a great duo that can be prepared with minimal effort and are ready in literally 2 minutes. This makes for a fruity treat and a potential alternative for your dessert cravings. To add a little more sweetness without being hard on your weight, you can add stevia powder or honey to this concoction. Great to have if you’re in a hurry, this combo keeps you full for a long time.
6. Veggies and Salsa Dip
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This one you can double up as a party-time snack as well, or pair it with low-fat chips and munch on them while watching a movie. Veggies and salsa dip offer high amounts of dietary fibres, vitamins, and minerals. Using veggies like carrots, radish, spring onions, etc. in place of nachos and other unhealthy snacks makes for a premium best weight loss snack.
7. Fruit and Nuts Muesli
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A great way to start your day, fruits and nuts muesli is light, nutritious and can be eaten for breakfast. A healthy addition to your daily food intake, they can be served hot or cold. Muesli is a mix of super grains such as oats and rice bran that are great for immunity and overall mechanism. By adding muesli to your diet, you can easily fulfill the recommended protein requirement too.
Also Read: Best Picnic Snacks
8. Nuts and Seeds Mix
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Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, and raisins, mixed with super seeds like flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are great to keep the body nourished and energized for hours. However, you cannot yourself with nuts and seeds mix because both the ingredients are high in calories. So, you won’t like having a lot of calories in a weight loss diet.
9. Salami Sandwiches
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A chicken salami between 2 multigrain bread slices, combined with the sauce and spices of your choice is a nutritious and delicious snack you can have that keeps you full for long. As salami is, basically, dried meat, it is evident that it has a high concentration of protein which is regarded as an essential macronutrient. Hence, it will not just satiate you but also keep you from filling yourself with unhealthy calories
10. Herbed Cottage Cheese
Image Courtesy: India Times
If you are a vegetarian, this one will surely excite you. Herbed cottage cheese or masala paneer is a flavoured paneer recipe that has all the health benefits of normal paneer, with a hint of spices. It is low in carbs and high in proteins. Paneer contains potassium which can help in reducing the effect of high sodium, by lowering blood pressure. It can also improve heart health.
11. Apple Slices and Nut Butter
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Open a jar of butter, cut an apple into slices and you’re done. These crunchy and creamy snacks can be eaten when you’re in a hurry and offer you a host of nutrients. This can be your favourite nutritious snack as the two main ingredients- apples and nut butter, are themselves highly nutritious. Apple is rich in antioxidants, potassium, vitamin c, fibres, etc. On the other hand, nut butter is rich in proteins and dietary fibre. Together, the end product is a fiber-rich, protein-rich weight loss evening snack to keep your body energized and healthy.
12. Green Herbs Smoothie
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Every nutritionist will tell you that it’s better to drink your greens than to eat them. Put in your vegetables, add some water and blend them. This drink is high in antioxidants, proteins, and vitamins. And there you have it, a perfect healthy recipe.
13. Chickpeas and Onion Salad
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One of the more delicious and tangy flavoured snacks, this one takes some time before you can eat them, but it’s worth the wait. They are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Chickpeas comprise higher nutrient intakes of dietary fibre, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
14. Fruit Salad with Yogurt and Oats
Image Courtesy: Yogurt in Nutrition
Another one that combines the healthiest ingredients out there, this one is an excellent addition to your breakfast. You can use any seasonal fruit or your favourite fruits and add them to non-flavoured yogurt and oats. Creamy and delicious, it fulfils nearly all your body’s nutritional requirements. Fruit salad with yogurt and oats furnishes sufficient amounts of proteins and dietary fibres for your body. A healthy snack for weight loss can be an excellent substitute for sugary desserts.
15. Vegetable Chips
Image Courtesy: The Leaf by Nutrisystem
Yes, chips made out of vegetables can be tasty and healthy too. This one contains less fat than regular chips and is a rich source of fibre. They can be your midday snacks, party snacks or can be munched on while watching a movie. Unlike ordinary fried chips and wafers, vegetable chips are very healthy and nutritious. There are numerous versions of vegetable chips made with kale, spinach, okra, pumpkin, beetroot, and many other essential vegetables.
The above-mentioned weight loss snacks are not just delicious but highly content with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibres. After eating such snacks, your body naturally feels fuller for a while which helps in avoiding mindless cravings. So, you don’t need to starve to get that edge on your weight. Stay satiated with these scrumptious snacks and still cut down your inches.
