Nuts - A Super Food In A Tiny Package

Do you picture snacks helping your heart and lowering your cholesterol while filling you up between meals?  Snacking has gotten a bad name through the years, mostly due to the over-abundance of pre-packaged processed snack foods.  But, snacking doesn't have to be bad for you if you know what snacks to choose.  As a matter of fact, snacking can be really good for you.  Let's take a look at one healthy food that should be considered an essential snack.

A walnut - shelled and unshelled. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nutrition by the Handful

That little nut you have been snacking on is really a super food because of the unique combination of fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This tiny powerhouse works hard lowering the risk of some significant diseases and health conditions.

Don't let the fat content or calorie count of nuts worry you too much. Even though nuts are often high in calories and fat, they have 'good' fats and omega-3 fatty acids that lower bad cholesterol levels and help regulate blood pressure and healthy heart rhythms. The fiber content in nuts also helps control cholesterol and has been found to lower the risk for diabetes.

But that's not all. Certain types of nuts also have plant sterols which is another cholesterol inhibitor.  They're so important as a cholesterol inhibitor, as a matter of fact, that plant sterols are added to things like orange juice and margarine for the health benefits. And you've got it all right there in a nut.

In addition, vitamin E and the amino acid L-arginine are two elements that help reduce plaque in the circulatory system, which helps to prevent clots in arteries. Nuts have so many of these healthy elements that they may be one of the most powerful food you can eat to take care of your heart.

Enjoy Nuts in Numerous Ways

The important thing to remember with nuts is, like many other things in life, too much of a good thing isn't really good - moderation is key. Since nuts are dense in calories and fat, a little goes a long way. For instance, just a dozen or so cashews can have up to 180 calories. For this reason, health experts recommend limiting your daily intake of most nuts to no more than a couple of ounces. This is actually good news for your budget, since adding nuts to your healthy diet requires only a small investment for such a big return.

Nuts, nuts, nuts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So, what specific nuts are best to eat regularly? There isn't really a lot of definitive research to suggest one type of nut is better than another - most have at least some health benefits. Walnuts, almonds, peanuts (not actually a nut, but also good for you in moderation), and cashews are popular and easy to find in most regions. You'll also find many recipes for these particular nuts, so it's easy to incorporate nuts into your meals as well as your snacking.

Consider substituting chopped nuts for the chocolate chips in cookies, for example.  Toss peanuts into a green salad or pasta salad for added nutrition and crunch. Use natural peanut butter on your morning toast instead of butter or jam. (Be sure to use the all-natural kind; Jif and Skippy and the like are largely sugar and unhealthy added oils and transfats!) Walnuts are a classic choice to top a savory salad.  Chop almonds up and toss in your vanilla yogurt for a nice crunch.

You can also grind almonds, peanuts, or other nuts into a coarse meal. Use this meal to coat chicken or fish instead of using cornmeal or flour when frying or baking.  Grind the meal fine and add to smoothies in your blender.  Almonds can be ground into a flour consistency and can be used in many dishes as a substitute for wheat flour. This gluten-free flour alternative has become very popular in recent years.

It's best to buy shelled, unsalted, or minimally processed varieties of nuts in small quantities. You can also protect fresh nuts from oxidation by storing them in a cool, dark, dry place.  Or you can store nuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. The oils that naturally occur in nuts can become rancid if exposed to heat and air, and will not only lose their healthful qualities, but taste bad too.

Adding small amounts of nuts to your diet will provide your body with big benefits.  Choose a variety of nuts, store them properly, and enjoy a handful of crunchy nutrition every day.

Video - Healthy Snack Wrap Recipe

Here is a really tasty-looking snack wrap, which is healthy and super easy to make. You can add many different kinds of vegetables - whatever you like or have on hand, but I would always recommend chopping them yourself - not buying cut or grated veggies like she mentions in the video. Almost all vegetables (and fruits) begin to oxidize and lose nutrition quickly as soon as they are cut, so you don't want to buy cut veggies that have been sitting in the store for several days - most of the nutrients will already be gone. Instead choose whole veggies, and use a food processor if you like, to quickly chop or grate small amounts as needed. This way you are getting the full nutritional content of the vegetable.

And of course, for the most nutrition possible, grow your own, or buy local at a farmer's market or CSA, to get them as close to harvest as possible!

Enjoy - this made me hungry just watching!

Healthy Cooking Lessons : Healthy Snacks Recipes
A great, healthy snack recipe is to spread Neufchatel cheese on a whole wheat tortilla, add sprouts, carrots and bell peppers, and roll up the tortilla with the vegetables inside. Cut the rolled tortilla into pieces for a more appealing presentation ...

Healthy Snacks for the Whole Family

Eating healthy is not just for adults, but everyone. Even if one person needs to lose weight in a family, the entire group can benefit from eating a bit better. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks for the family.

Image via WikipediaSnacking is necessary. Many think that snacking is what kills your diet and ruins all of your hard work, but that is not the truth. In fact, many eating plans encourage snacking.

Eating three meals a day is a thing of the past. When you eat several small meals each day, your metabolism is stoked all day and you burn more calories. More calories burned equals more weight lost.

Snacks play an integral part in this equation. By eating a little something mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you keep the hunger at bay. If you can get out ahead of those hunger pains, they you will always feel satisfied and never deprived.

Snacking helps to curb overeating. If you ate breakfast at nine and are waiting until one o’clock for lunch, you will be mighty hungry by the time you get to eat. Having a small snack in between helps you to eat less at lunch because you aren’t as hungry. You can portion sizes better than if you were ravenous.

Healthy Snack Ideas

Here are some healthy snack ideas that you can buy or make at home to satisfy everyone’s needs.

* Veggies and dip – This is a snack that you can chomp on while watching the basketball play-offs or a scary movie. Choose your favorite raw vegetables and use fat free veggie dip or even hummus to add flavor to your snack.

Image via Wikipedia* Fruit – Fruit is a great idea. For one, it helps to curb the sweet tooth with its natural sweetness. Eating whole fruit also provides more fiber for your diet. Fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer than eating a candy bar for a snack. If you want, invest in a food dehydrator and create easy-to-carry dried fruit snacks to eat whenever you need a boost.

* Boiled eggs – They are not just for breakfast. Carry a couple with you on a long trip or car ride. They are packed with protein. Protein at every meal, particularly breakfast, will fight the cravings better than anything.

* Trail Mix – Make this at home and carry it anywhere. Store bought is okay but it can contain extra calories or ingredients that you don’t like. Homemade trail mix only contains what you like, so you know what's in it and can control fat and sugar content. Fix enough for a week at a time and store. Try peanuts, granola, dried fruit, raisins, almonds, dark chocolate pieces and various types of nuts and seeds.

* Granola Bars -- These can be tasty and filling, but they can also be filled with a lot of sugar. While most are better than candy bars, if you do want to grab a granola bar for convenience, instead try one of the newer whole food bars. These will keep you full longer, without all the added sugar and oils. Try the Larabar - a whole food bar containing nothing but dried fruit and nuts - they're delicious, healthy, and easy to eat on the run. 

The simplest snacks are sometimes the best. It doesn’t take much to fill you up and keep you going between meals. Snacking healthy can benefit the whole family.

Healthy & Tasty Valentine’s Day Party Snacks

Does the mention of Valentine’s Day make you think of big, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates? Most of us associate this holiday with chocolate indulgence. But there are healthier ways to celebrate this heart-centered holiday. Here are some ideas.

Image via Wikipedia* Strawberry Roses - Insert a wooden skewer into the bottom of some fresh strawberries. Dip them into dark chocolate (dark chocolate, at least 60% cocoa, is considered healthful as it contains many valuable antioxidants). When the chocolate is cool, arrange the strawberries in a vase or other container.

* Jell-O Shapes - Remember Jell-O cut-outs? They are still loved by kids. Although many people do not consider Jell-O healthy due to all the sugar, consider making your own using hot water, gelatin, and fruit juice (grape or cranberry are good choices for Valentine colors). The fruity gelatin can be poured into heart-shaped molds or solidified in a pan and cut into heart shapes.

* Pink Cream Cheese - You can add some red food coloring to plain cream cheese, or buy strawberry-flavored cream cheese. Then use it to make healthy Valentine-themed snacks, such as heart-shaped bagels. Or use it as a dip and/or spread for strawberries. A little bit goes a long way, but it's lower in sugar than candy, and can add a tasty and festive touch to several different snacks.

Image via Wikipedia* Watermelon - Naturally red, watermelon is great for cutting into shapes, and full of vitamin C and lycopene. Cut out some heart shapes for a healthy juicy treat.

* Fruit Kabobs - Nature provides a lot of red fruits that look pretty on a skewer. Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and even cut-up red apples can all be put on a skewer and enjoyed by young and old alike. Serve with pink cream cheese or fruit dip if you like.

* Healthy Heart Snacks - Valentine's Day is a heart-themed holiday. Think of heart-healthy foods and serve those as snacks. For example, heart-healthy seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds and almonds can be served in pretty muffin papers or heart-shaped containers. Make heart-shaped bran muffins, or arrange sliced strawberries in a heart on top of a bowl of oatmeal.

* Sandwiches - Using a cookie cutter, cut whole wheat bread into heart shapes. Make sandwiches with whatever healthy filling you like - the heart shape makes it festive. For an extra touch, put a decorative red toothpick through each sandwich.

* Heart-y Chips - Cut whole wheat tortillas into heart shapes. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt, and then bake them at 425 degrees F until crisp (about 8 minutes). Serve these with red, tomato-y salsa or other seasonal dip.

Focusing on the heart means choosing healthy foods. Chocolate, whole grains, and other foods mentioned in this article are not only festive; they are good for the heart - and what could be better on Valentine's Day?

Video - Healthy Snack Ideas

If you read our last post and still need more healthy snack ideas, this quick video gives a number of great suggestions. If choosing fruits and veggies, be sure you are buying organic, to avoid introducing nasty chemicals into your body. (See our Toxic Load blog for more info on eating organic: http://nhltoxicloadgreenliving.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-you-should-eat-organic.html)

Most of his choices it looks like are organic or have no preservatives, but the one thing I would NOT recommend is the soymilk - there is lots of research out there showing that processed soy is really not good for your body, and may even cause weight gain. Edamame is the exception - it is a raw, unprocessed food, and may be steamed or boiled, then sprinkled with sea salt, for a healthy and delicious snack.

Healthy Eating Tips : Eating Healthy Snacks
Try not to go more than four or five hours without eating. Learn more about proper healthy snacking with tips from a certified nutritionist in this free health video. Expert: Ken Babal Bio: Ken Babal is a certified nutritionist. He now has his own pr...



Some Snacks Discussed in the Video:
  

Making Healthy Snacking Choices

Snacking can be the downfall of many otherwise healthy diets, but the good news is that you can learn to control this rather easily. Even if you still want to snack during the day, there are ways in which you can do so without killing your healthy diet. Staying on track with your diet when you like to snack might be hard, but it is worth that extra effort because it keeps your body healthy.

Image via Wikipedia

One way to prevent snacking is to simply eat more meals. Instead of eating three large meals every day, try eating smaller meals every few hours. If you are snacking because you are hungry, chances are that you are using more energy than you are ingesting and you need the extra fuel. By eating 6 smaller but healthy meals every day, you will not be tempted to snack very often, but will keep your high energy levels.

You can also help to stop your snacking simply by removing temptation. Before you reach for a snack, ask yourself if you are honestly hungry or if you are just eating because you are bored, because the food tastes good, or because you feel compelled to eat when doing a certain activity (like watching a movie). If you are snacking because you are really hungry, than it is probably fine to have something to eat, but if you are snacking for another reason, you should try to remove the temptation. Simply rid your house of junk foods and do not buy these items again when you go to the grocery store.

Image via Wikipedia

Instead, purchase healthy snacks. Think about the snacks you are eating. Would they fit easily into a food group as fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy, or protein? If the answer is no, then the snack is probably not good for you. For example, carrot sticks (vegetables), yogurt (dairy), or popcorn (grains) work well as snacks, while candy, potato chips, and processed foods do not. Keep some veggies like carrots and celery sticks on hand, so that when you do get hungry or are craving a snack, they will be easy to grab.

When you snack, remember to consider your beverages as well. Drinks like soda, fruit punch, iced tea, lemonade, "diet" drinks, and juice boxes can contain unnatural ingredients and/or lots of sugar. In short, they are high in calories but low in nutrients (and who needs that?). Instead, opt for drinks that supplement your healthy diet. Choose water most of the time, or 100% juice. If you are not used to drinking water, and have trouble with this, add just a splash of natural juice. This can add a bit of flavor without too much sweetness. Try to stay away from most kinds of alcohol. However, if you must have a glass of wine or a small drink after a long hard day, go for it - just don't feel guilty about it later, as that causes stress! Much evidence now suggests that a small amount of alcohol can be beneficial to your health in several ways. Just go easy - moderation is key!

 

Related Articles on Healthy Snacking:

• Healthy Midnight Snacks (everydayhealth.com)
• Healthy After-School Snacks (everydayhealth.com)
• Smarter Snacks Keep Off the Weight (everydayhealth.com)
• Healthy Snacks for Kids: Recipes, School Snacks, and More (webmd.com)
• How To Kill Your Addictions to Junk Food and Soda Pop (dumblittleman.com)

Fight Stress With Healthy Eating

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems. To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast
Even though you may think you aren't hungry, you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood sugar levels during the day, which can lead to fatigue, distraction, and ultimately, stress, so you should always eat something in the morning before beginning your day.

Image via WikipediaCarry a snack
Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue. Trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, and energy bars (all-natural, of course -- we love Lara Bars - only a couple of ingredients, 100% natural, and SO yummy) all have the nutrients you need to keep going through that mid-afternoon lull.

Healthy munchies
If you like to munch when you're stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, dried fruit, or even sunflower seeds. Crunchy things such as nuts or seeds or veggies are good foods to eat when tired or bored for a pick-me-up, while chewy or creamy snacks such as dried fruit, yogurt, or cheese help when you are stressed and need to calm down.

Bring your lunch
Although a lot of people habitually grab fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few times a week, you'll see much better energy and health over eating junk food.

 Stock your home with good stuff Image via Wikipedia
As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it's even more important to get the good food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals and snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingredients you need, then go shop for them all at once. This way, you'll have what you want when you need it and you won't have to stress over what to eat. (It will also save money if you avoid multiple shopping trips and their accompanying temptations.)

Healthy eating can be easy if you plan ahead, and can help reduce stress in many ways - both budgetary, and time and health-wise. Following these tips can help you stick to your healthy eating plan, as eating well becomes easier and less stressful.

Related articles on Healthy Eating:

• Healthy Snack Options For Children (brighthub.com)
• List of Healthy Holiday Snacks (brighthub.com)
• Eat Your Way Through Stress, the Healthy Way (geteconow.com)
• Healthy Eating at the Office (joelcomm.com)