There are many quick and easy snacking options out there which honestly do not have our best interest in mind. It may be easier to pull a bag of chips out of the cupboard than to slice and dice some fresh fruits or vegetables, but the potato chips are going to do nothing for your health. Many people do not really realize how many healthy snack options are available to them, because chips and crackers just seem so much easier. Next time you are at the supermarket, prepare to stock your kitchen with some of these healthy snack choices instead, and your body will surely thank you!
Pre-Cut and Pre-Washed Fruits and Vegetables: Many supermarkets offer vegetables and fruits which have already been washed and cut up, and which are typically suspended in water to keep them fresh. Not only are these fruits and vegetables a healthy snack option, they are quick, easy and portable which makes them a great option for on-the-run snacking as well. Many fresh fruits are portable on their own, so if you decide not to opt for the pre-cut and washed stuff, grab a couple of bananas, apples or oranges, which are quick and delicious snacks which are jam packed with health benefits.
Cups: Many healthy snacks come in portable little cups, which you can take anywhere, or stock up in your home refrigerator. Yogurt cups come in many different sizes, and you can opt for low or non fat options for an even healthier snack, without losing any of the sweet flavors. If you do not have enough time for a yogurt cup, consider a yogurt smoothie which is available in many different brands and flavors, and makes having some yogurt a deliciously drinkable experience. Fruit is often available in pre-packaged cups as well, and though these typically have slightly higher sugar content than the fresh stuff, the portability of these little fruit cups more than makes up for it.
Cheese: Many companies now offer a variety of different cheeses for snacking, which typically means that they are pre-packaged to be smaller and more portable, or that the pieces are diced up for easy eating. Opt for low fat string cheese or slices for a quick but filling snack and a really nice calcium boost.
Fruit Drinks: There are a lot of fruit drink options out there, but not all are on equal footing when it comes to health benefits. Pass up the Gatorade for a Naked, or Odwalla, which are packed with fresh fruits and vegetables with extra nutrients added. For a boost in antioxidants, try POM Green Tea. Typically fruit drinks like your average bottled juice brand are actually fairly loaded with sugar, so go for the vitamin-packed power drinks instead. Most Naked and Odwalla juice drinks come with a serious boost of nutrients and minerals which may be just what you need after a long day, or for an early morning kick. Drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde are still popular and easily portable, but their sugar content tends to dehydrate rather than hydrate, something that you will not experience with a more natural fruit and vegetable juice.
Pickles are a popular snack, side dish, and condiment. But did you know that pickles are also a healthy part of your diet? There are many different pickle recipes out there, but each version has its own healthy benefits depending on the ingredients that went into the pickle and the method used for pickling, whether fermented or packed with vinegar. Pickles are great for most diets because not only are they low in calories, and low in fat or fat-free, many versions are also low in sugar.
Pickles are also a healthy edition to your diet for other reasons. Pickles, being made from cucumbers or other vegetables, are high in fiber which is necessary for digestive health and fighting cancer. The cucumbers and other vegetables also contain antioxidants, which fight free-radicals, and depending on the veggie, can be a good source of calcium, magnesium, and iron. The recommendation by most health professionals is to eat five servings of vegetables and fruit each day. Eating pickles is a great way to get a daily serving or two of your five-a-day!
The spices with which pickles are made are also healthy. For example, dill and garlic, both of which are popular in pickles, both have the ability to regulate bacterial growth. Dill and other spices also contain flavonoids, which is a healing addition to your diet. Mustard seeds are known to be good for digesting foods and even turmeric powder has medicinal properties and is believed to lower rates of Alzheimer's disease.
Fermented pickles also have good bacteria that can control harmful intestinal microbes. When pickles are fermented, lactic acid is created. This acid helps to lower fat in the bloodstream, improve circulation, and lower high blood pressure. It also helps to support a healthy digestive system, reintroduces good bacteria into the intestines, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, and is beneficial for diabetics. In fact, one study even found that eating fermented products regularly contributed to lower rates of skin problems, asthma, and auto-immune disorders.
Many pickles are made with vinegars. This healthy liquid has several positive properties in addition to its tangy taste. Vinegar is known to boost the immune system, ease digestive disorders, and can break down calcium deposits in a person's joints. In addition, vinegar is known to decrease high blood pressure, and help treat urinary infections. It is even said to re-mineralize your bones, balance your blood pH, and fight infection. Vinegar is also anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It inhibits the growth of the E.coli bacteria, and when used in conjunction with salt, which is common in pickling, the anti-bacterial properties are amplified.
Another common item used for pickling is apple cider vinegar. It has several additional health benefits as well. Not only does it contain several minerals, thirty-plus nutrients, and pectin, which is good for your heart, it also contains several essential amino acids, all of which are a great addition to your diet.
Pickles can be a tasty snack eaten with the confidence that you're having something healthy at the same time - what could be better? Hey, even Aristotle, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, and Cleopatra believed in the health benefits of the pickle, and Hippocrates utilized it for one of the first medicines! So if you ever needed a reason to eat more pickles, now you have it.
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