If you want to eat healthy, you often have to forgo snacks like cookies and candies. Instead, opt for nuts or fruit. But what if you get hungry again within half an hour? With these sensible snacks you can stay full longer and be healthy at the same time!
Tasty cravings
Creating a healthy lunch or dinner is not that hard, but those snacks… Sometimes you just have insatiable cravings and can’t wait for your next meal. Fortunately, there are healthy alternatives to unhealthy snacks that are high in fiber and will keep you full for a long time!
High-fiber foods make you feel satiated longer, so you’ll reach for something delicious – and often unhealthy – less. In addition, fiber helps keep your blood sugar stable and supports your microbiome in a healthy way. In addition to all these health benefits, it’s also easy to increase your fiber intake with these snacks, so a step toward a healthy lifestyle is easily made!
Baked artichoke
It takes some effort, but this oven-baked artichoke is a delicious snack packed with fiber, namely about 7 grams. To make this snack yourself, dietician Emily Tills, in conversation with Popsugar, recommends cutting drained canned artichoke hearts into quarters. Rinse the artichokes, dry them with a towel, mix them with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, then bake them for 10 minutes in a hot air oven at 190 degrees.
Chia pudding
Chia seeds are a true superfood with numerous health benefits. The seeds are rich in protein, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber. “Chia seeds are a great source of soluble fiber, which helps you feel full longer and keep your blood sugar balanced,” says Tills. “One tablespoon of chia seeds contains four grams of fiber. You can add them to yogurt or use them in granola to increase your fiber intake.”
You can easily make your own chia seed pudding by mixing chia seeds with milk or water and adding flavorings such as cinnamon. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight, top with fresh fruit and you have a delicious snack!
Blueberries
Don’t feel like spending a lot of time on your snack? A handful of blueberries is an excellent alternative to unhealthy snacks. “Blueberries are packed with plant compounds such as antioxidants and fiber,” says dietician Valerie Agyeman. “The great thing is that most of the fiber in blueberries is insoluble, which contributes to good bowel function.”
Popcorn
One of the most surprising snacks in this list! Popcorn is full of insoluble fiber, the fiber that ensures regular bowel function. Three cups of popcorn contain a whopping four grams of fiber. Good to know!
Nuts
You probably already knew that nuts are an excellent source of protein and fat, but fiber also belongs in this list! These nutrients together help keep your blood sugar stable between meals. If you really want to get it right, choose almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts; they contain the most fiber.
Dark chocolate avocado truffles
This is the perfect snack when you’re in the mood for something sweet. Avocados are high in fiber (about nine grams per avocado) and healthy unsaturated fats. To make them into truffles, mash an avocado with a fork and roll it into balls with melted dark chocolate. Then roll the balls through toppings such as dried strawberry rind, coconut, cocoa powder or chopped nuts. Enjoy!
Whole wheat crackers
Whole wheat crackers can be a tasty snack – especially when combined with some cottage cheese, a little hummus or nut butter. This way you can easily get some extra fiber! Dietitian Brandy Minks says a serving of crackers (about a handful) can contain between two and five grams of fiber, depending on the brand.
A quick glance at the snack shelf shows that there are many choices of crackers. To make sure your crackers are whole grain, Minks recommends looking specifically for the words “whole wheat” or “whole grain” on the ingredient list and checking the amount of fiber in the nutritional information.
Roasted chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are a great high-fiber snack that you can completely customize with a wide range of spices. Half a cup of chickpeas contains about 5.3 grams of fiber, which helps reduce bloating and lower cholesterol.
How to make this delicious snack. Rinse the canned chickpeas well before roasting them, so they get nice and crispy in the oven. Drizzle them with two tablespoons of olive oil and your favorite spices and roast the chickpeas for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees. Toss them regularly so they cook evenly.
Vegetables and guacamole
Guacamole is already rich in fiber thanks to its basic avocado ingredient, as a whole avocado already contains about six grams. To increase your intake, you can eat the dip with vegetables such as raw bell peppers. In fact, red peppers contain 2.5 grams of fiber and many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Jicama and hummus
If you are looking for a high-fiber snack with a crunchy bite, this is your solution. Crunchy, fresh jicama – a tuber from South American and Asian cuisine – is perfect for dipping in creamy hummus. Both are high in fiber that makes you feel satiated, a real win-win!