Sensible snacking
Snacking
need not necessarily give you a guilt trip! Here are a few healthy and creative
snack ideas that won’t sabotage your diet plan
Be it a midnight movie munch or an evening binge in office, we all love to snack and, more often than not, on unhealthy food. But snacking could be nourishing and low in calories if we paid attention to some basics. Here’s decoding some low cal food items that can be rustled up into wholesome refreshments.
What you can eat...
10 baby carrots 1 cup of blueberries 1 full stalk of celery with a fat-free dip 2 tbsp dry, roasted and unsalted Bengal gram or chickpeas 3/4 cup of wheat bran flakes 4 high-fibre biscuits 1 low fat cheese cube or slim cheese with two crackers 1 whole wheat toast with homemade green mint chutney 1 cup non-butter popcorn 1 tablespoon of low fat hummus and 1/2 of red/yellow peppers Fistful of roasted lentils
Nuts and seeds are comparatively high in calories but when eaten in small
amounts, they are therapeutic. They contain unsaturated fats which protect the
heart and are rich in vitamin E that prevents the development of plaque in the
arteries. They also contain L-arginine, which makes the arteries less prone to
clot development. Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and
chia seeds are rich in fibre. Those that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids are
protective against cancers and heart diseases. Their calorie count differs,
depending on the type of seeds or nuts. On an average, each contains about 100
calories per 28 gm.
Snack tip: Have a fistful of unsalted peanuts or 25
raisins or 10-12 raw unsalted almonds.
Cucumbers are mostly made up of water and help you feel full, longer.
An amazing low cal food, they are a great addition to any salad. Half a cup of
cucumber slices contain only eight calories. They have been used as a
traditional medicinal crop in India since they are anti-inflammatory and rich
in antioxidants. They are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
as well as cancers of the breast, uterus, ovary, and prostate gland. Snack
tip: Cut fresh cucumbers into sticks and relish with homemade curd and dill
dip.
Apples help in weight loss by increasing muscle mass. An apple a
day keeps calories at bay. One apple is about 90 calories and is loaded with
pectins that help in appetite suppression. Pectins are soluble fibre, which are
related to lowering your LDL, the bad cholesterol. Apples are also rich in
vitamin A and C. Snack tip: Slice an apple and heat in a microwave till
it softens up. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder and crumble a few digestive
biscuits on top. There you have a low cal apple crumble!
Mushrooms are an incredible low calorie snack, no matter how cook them
sauté or bake them. One cup cooked mushrooms contains only about 40 calories.
Mushrooms are not only low in calories but also in carbohydrates, fat and
sodium. However, like watermelon, they are very high in water content and fibre
which makes them a great diet food item! They are an excellent source of
vitamin D, magnesium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, iron and phosphorus. They are
also a proteinaceous vegetable (vegetable high in protein) — about 3 grams in
one cup.
Snack tip: Saute a bowl of mushrooms in olive oil and season
with some salt, pepper and rosemary.
Inputs by nutrition and obesity
expert Dr Anjali Hooda TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Supriya
Sharma TL140112
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