10/22/14 O&A With Dr. Joy: Healthy Options For Your Snacks…

By Dr. Joy Ohayia, PhD

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What’s Up Beautiful People!  We have an interesting post on tips to decode your food labels. Practical advice you can use TODAY…before you read this make sure you take three deep breaths:

Clear your mind….

INHALE……….EXHALE

INHALE……….EXHALE

INHALE……….EXHALE  (How do your feel?) I feel great!

Have you upgraded your snacks in the interest of more healthful eating? Have you traded in your afternoon candy bar for an energy bar or have become a fan of baked potato chips or fat-free ice cream? Do you pay extra attention when the label says “organic” or “natural”?

It is a great idea to choose snacks wisely. But many foods that seem to be a great nutrition value are not. Bran muffins and cereal bars can be packed with unhealthy fats and added sugar. Fat-free foods often contain lots of added salt and sugar.

Here are 7 tips for smarter snacking.

Go for the grain. Whole-grain snacks, such as whole-grain low-salt pretzels or tortilla chips and high-fiber, whole-grain cereals, can give you some energy with staying power.

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Bring back breakfast. Many breakfast foods can be repurposed as a nutritious snack later in the day. How about a slice of whole-grain toast topped with low-sugar jam? Low-sugar granola also makes a quick snack.

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Try a “hi-low” combination. Combine a small amount of something with healthy fat, like peanut butter, with a larger amount of something very light, like apple slices or celery sticks.

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Go nuts. Unsalted nuts and seeds make a great snack. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, hazelnuts, filberts, and others contain many beneficial nutrients and are more likely to leave you feeling full (unlike chips or pretzels). Nuts have lots of calories, though, so keep portion sizes small.

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The combo snack. Try to eat more than one macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) at each snacking session. For example, have a few nuts (protein and fat) and some grapes (carbohydrates). Try some whole-grain crackers (carbohydrate) with some low-fat cheese (protein and fat). These balanced snacks tend to keep you feeling satisfied.

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You can take it with you. Think ahead and carry a small bag of healthful snacks in your pocket or purse so you will not turn in desperation to the cookies at the coffee counter or the candy bars in the office vending machine.

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Snack mindfully – A Single Event. Do not eat your snack while doing something else like surfing the Web, watching TV, or working at your desk. Instead, stop what you are doing for a few minutes and eat your snack like you would a small meal. Eating and snacking are events and should be done alone.

When you do something for 28 days it becomes a habit. Try the above and let me know what you think, contact me via www.drxjoy.com.

Be Blessed, Stay Healthy!

See ya!
Dr. Joy

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