Craving for unhealthy food is natural. The temptation to eat unhealthy food and getting addicted to it is something we all face in our lives. Stress, poor sleep, drinking little water, or lack of certain nutrients may likely be the reasons for unhealthy food cravings. To combat this habit of consuming junk food, it would help reduce your stress levels, get your vitamins checked, drink plenty of water and eat the best healthy snacks.
Moreover, here are the 10 best healthy snacks that can benefit you in satisfying cravings.
1- FRESH FRUITS
Fresh fruits taste great, are very handy, and naturally sweet.
Additionally, they are less in calories and rich in prebiotic fiber. Please get in the habit of consuming fruits during cravings. In the beginning, you will have to push yourself to eat fruits, but once you get used to it, it will be like heaven for you.
Furthermore, fruits help in preventing obesity and heart disease. A bowl of mixed fruit salad can be the healthiest craving meal.
2- GREEK YOGURT
Although Greek Yogurt has a thick and smooth taste but trust me, it contains healthy nutrients.
- Rich source of protein
- Has Lower sugar
- Contains lots of calcium
- Has enough vitamin B-12
- Lots of probiotics essential for gut health
Greek Yogurt recipe
- Boil Milk
Boil full cream milk to 185 º F or 85 ºC
- Cool Milk
Then keep it aside and allow it to cool. Then take half a cup of plain yogurt and blend it well with some of the milk.
- Keep in a warm place.
Now combine the blended mixture of yogurt and milk with the remaining milk and keep it in a warm place for 4-6 hours.
- Strain it
Put a filter (cheesecloth) in a large bowl and pour the yogurt in it. Again keep it for few hours in the fridge to strain.
You can mix Greek Yogurt with berries or other fresh fruit to make it more beneficial and healthy.
3- BANANA ICE CREAM
Here is one of the best healthy snacks to satisfy your craving for a creamy yet sweet treat. Just take two or three ripe bananas, blend them in a mixer and freeze for one to two hours. Banana ice cream is ready to enjoy.
It contains as many calories as a real banana but will give you a lot of fun in the form of ice cream. One medium-sized banana contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates, 105 calories, 1 gram of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. It also gives vitamin B12, vitamin C, and potassium.
You can store banana ice cream in an airtight dish in the freezer for about one month.
4- DARK CHOCOLATE
If you desire a dessert at odd hours of the day, you can try dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is another highly beneficial and convenient snack.
It is packed with antioxidants and contains 70% cocoa. However, you must be careful with the portion size. Only one or two squares of it are enough, considering the too much amount will give you extra sugar.
Moreover, it improves blood flow, protects from the sun, improves brain function, and prevents heart attacks.
5- COTTAGE CHEESE
If you are longing for a salty snack, there is another option for cottage cheese. It is a bit salty and has a mild flavour.
Cottage cheese is one of the best healthy snacks and provides calcium, protein, B6, vitamin B12, zinc, and copper. It contains relatively low calories.
You can easily make cottage cheese at home. Just add lemon juice or vinegar to boiling milk.
Further, cottage cheese helps in losing weight.
5- NUT BUTTER AND FRUIT
Fruits, when mixed with nut butter, make a tasty and very healthy snack.
You can enjoy it any time of the day. Just clean the fruits, and enjoy your snack.
It can give you vital nutrients, fiber, and minerals from fruits and healthy fat from nut butter. Besides, no need to worry about the portion size, though make sure nut butter has only nuts in it.
6- CUCUMBER
Cucumber is an exciting snack if you are craving some crunchy food.
Cucumber contains lots of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and a fair fiber portion.
You can sprinkle lemon juice, a pinch of chili, and salt on cucumber sticks and eat. It is not only a refreshing snack but also a mood elevator. Cucumbers help maintain gut health too.
7- BERRIES
Berries are rich in antioxidants, loaded with fiber, and low in calories. They are also useful in fighting aging effects.
A few berries a week can do wonders, and it will also reduce stress levels if you take just two or three berries a day.
Further, you can use berries to fight chronic diseases. Many kinds of berries are available in the market, but blueberries are far better in taste and price.
8- DATES
Dates are a kind of fruit that is stuffed with useful nutrients and antioxidants. Although it contains a lot of sugar, you can still eat it if you crave any sweet treat. Two or three dates will be sufficient to provide the energy of a full meal.
Additionally, if you want to enhance the taste, you can always mix them with almonds or any nut of your choice.
9- MIXED DRY NUTS & raisins
Mixed dry nuts and raisins are stuffed with vitamins and proteins. They also boost immunity and prevent diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
You must include nuts, grains, raisins, or cereal in your diet and should be readily available in your kitchen all the time.
However, please do not buy already available mixed nuts in the stores as those lack nutrients and have excess salt in them. Instead, you can buy all the nuts separately and mix them.
FINAL WORDS
Food cravings are real, and there is no reason to feel guilty about them. They are challenging to handle.
Luckily, the best healthy snacks explained above will help stop eating unhealthy food if you can invest in them and make them readily available in the kitchen.