The following are the top 10 snack items recommended by the American Dietetic Association that will not only satisfy your taste-buds while eating generous amounts but will also provide you with some healthy nutrients. Recently researchers have begun to unravel the possible health benefits of the snacks cum small meals type of eating. Ice cream, cookies and potato chips surely do not make it to the list. However once you start getting used to these snacks, you will stop missing the high-fat, high-calorie ones.
1. Bagel
One to two ounces of bagel supplies about 11 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of iron along with good doses of B vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. You can use cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta as toppings. Bagels are more filling than a croissant. Even without any form of topping they provide you with a reasonable 200 calories.
2. Banana
A great source of potassium, bananas are also very rich in vitamin B6. A four-ounce fruit provides about 35 percent of the Daily Value of B6. Bananas also provide us with fibers and carbohydrates which are the body’s main source of energy. They are not only easily digestible but also their nutritional value and convenience make them a great post-exercise snack.
3. Bran Muffin
This healthy snack will enable you to have increased fiber intake. A 1 1/2 -ounce muffin contains three grams of the nutrient. It can also supply you with 1.8 milligrams of iron, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the Daily Value.
4. Broccoli
By consuming ½ cup of chopped, raw broccoli you can get 41 milligrams, or 68 percent of the Daily Value of vitamin C. This vegetable is also rich in Vitamin A and provides folate too. As it contains equal quantum of calcium as is present in milk, it is an important source of nutrition for those suffering from calcium deficiencies or osteoporosis. You can eat it with low-fat dip.
5. Carrot
By consuming a medium-size carrot, you can satisfy your vitamin A needs for an entire day. Just a single carrot contains 17,158 units of A, which provides you with 3 1/2 time of DV.
6. Mexican-style beans
Just 1/2 – cup serving of Mexican style beans can offer an impressive 7 grams of fiber – about 26 percent of the DV. You must take care to ensure that the brand you buy does not have an overdose of sodium.
7. String cheese
A 1 ½ cup of this lower-fat variation on mozzarella cheese provides 250 milligrams of calcium per. This is equivalent to 25 percent of the DV.
8. Tuna
Your daily requirement of vitamin B 12 can be provided by 3 ounces of tuna, canned in water. You can get 32 percent of DV or 2 micrograms of the nutrient. You can also add low fat mayonnaise to your tuna which is one of the healthiest snacks.
9. Yogurt
This snack is also a great source of bone-building calcium. It provides about 42 percent of the DV -in every one – cup serving. You must take care to select low-fat varieties. Plain yogurt has just one third of the fat when compared to a piece of apple pie.
10. Cantaloupe
This item is another good vitamin C source. Just a single cup of cubed cantaloupe offers 68milligrams of C, equivalent to more than 100 percent of the Daily Value.
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