Foods to Avoid and Healthier Alternatives
When you’re trying to set up your healthier diet, there are some foods you always hear good things about. The fact of the matter is that many of these are not as healthy as they’re made out to be. Or they may be originally healthy, but the way they are prepared and marketed make them poor choices for your diet.
Yogurt and Parfaits
Yogurt is usually near the top of the list when it comes to healthy options for snacks and desserts. Unfortunately, it’s also at the top of this list. The pre-packaged yogurts with fruit, chocolate, or sweetened granola are often full of extra sugar that your body does not need. It’s a better idea to buy your own plain yogurt and add fresh fruits yourself so you know exactly what goes into this delicious snack.
Packaged Granola and Trail Mixes
Just like pre-packaged yogurt mixes, granola and trail mix snack packages often contain sweet treats like chunks of chocolate or deep fried bananas. Individually packed servings of these mixes also create a lot of trash. In order to know exactly what goes into your mix and save some plastic, mixing your own batches in bulk and using smaller reusable containers is a solid option.
Sports Drinks
Even though sports drinks are marketed as being better than soda, that’s largely because of the lack of carbonation, which makes physical activity uncomfortable for athletes. They’re packed full of sugar for quick energy, so they’re great for people doing lots of physical activity. If you’re sitting at home not burning all those extra calories, they can be just as bad as soda. As an alternative, try dropping some fresh sliced fruit into a glass of water to get that added flavor and sweetness you might be craving.
Unbalanced All-Vegetarian Diets
When setting up a vegetarian diet, it’s important to balance what you’re eating. It’s easy to incorporate a lot of filling foods that taste good, but they can be chock full of sugars and very processed. If you only eat potato chips, sure they may be vegetarian, but they’re definitely not healthy or balanced on their own. Sticking with less processed low-carb food, and more protein-rich snacks, fruits, veggies, and whole grains, will keep you full longer and help manage cravings.
“Fat Free” Is Incredibly Misleading
Heavily processed foods that are low in fats are more likely filled with sugar or salt to balance it out. Fats are not evil, but you should be aware of how much you’re taking in. Avoiding fats by eating “fat-free” foods does not necessarily mean it’s healthier. Pay attention to how much of the other ingredients are included.
Low-Fat Peanut Butter
Peanut butter contains a decent amount of good fats, so cutting it out is not a great thing. Just like “fat-free” snacks pumping in sugar and sodium to balance the reduced fat content, reduced-fat peanut butter also has tons of added sugars to improve flavor, making it worse for you than run of the mill PB. If you are intent on avoiding peanut butter, almond butter is great for the body with tons of good fat. For every peanut butter or PB alternative, the less processed and more natural, the better.
Microwave Popcorn
Popcorn is a great low-calorie snack when prepared properly. However, given the kind of article this is, you probably know where this is going. Microwaving popcorn in chemically treated bags can release harmful chemicals into the food. Though not immediately dangerous, reducing your intake can improve your overall health. Explore other ways of preparing it, like using an air popper and add your own spin!
Removing these unhealthy foods and trying the suggested healthier alternatives can go a long way towards improving your health.
Low-carb diets usually mean giving up all of the tasty go-to snacks we eat between meals. The chips, sweet trail mixes, and carb-dense crackers have to go, but fear not! There are plenty of snacks available for those on a low-carb diet.
Minimum-Prep Snacks
When we crave food, preparation is always an impediment for healthier eating. Sure you can go through the process of making some delicious homemade vegan guacamole, roasted pumpkin seeds, or home-bake delicious and nutritious breadsticks. Those are all great options, but when you’re looking for a quick grab-and-go snack, they’re not an option unless you’ve already made them.
Here are some quick ready to go snacks to reign in those cravings:
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs take some prep time, but if you boil a bunch at once, they’re ready to go when you are! Eggs are a great way to integrate some proteins while keeping the carb cravings down.
Fresh Veggies
For that crisp crunch that you usually seek out chips for, fresh spears of vegetables like celery, cucumbers, and different colored peppers are fantastic substitutes. When you need that fatty addition to your snack, cream cheese is a great way to scratch that itch.
Cold-Cuts and Cheese
Fresh slices of prosciutto, ham, or pancetta are delicious ways to accent a quick veggie-based snack. Cheese is another low-carb option to get some variety in your snacking selection. Set up a quick charcuterie board for a party or even just to keep in the fridge for a quick grab-and-go variety.
Various Berries
Berries are a tricky addition to a low-carb diet. Delicious and definitely better for you than thoroughly processed sweet foods, they can act as a solid treat, rather than a mainstay of your diet. Raspberries, blackberries, and even strawberries are some of your best options with only 5-6 grams of carbs per 100 grams of berries.
Prepackaged Treats
Not all healthy alternatives are unpackaged. Don’t let anyone tell you that prepackaged food can’t be good for you. The trick is to keep an eye on what kinds of prepackaged foods you reach for at the store when planning out your future snacks. Here are a few great options:
Pistachios
Pistachios are chock full of healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants, so you’re getting something out of your quick snack. In addition, there are a wide range of flavors available, so it’s not hard to find some that match your particular craving.
Beef Jerky
When you need that savory fix, beef jerky is always a solid choice. With the huge variety of flavors and styles, finding which kinds fit into your snack profile can be a delicious adventure. Your body will also appreciate the lean protein and blast of meaty flavor.
Olives
Olives can serve as a satisfying snack as well. Low-carb and full of healthy oleic acid, these delicious salty treats are exactly what your diet needs to balance out the lighter flavors of the fresh cut vegetables.
Low-carb diets don’t need to be bland and tasteless, nor do they mean no snacks! With these delicious and satisfying options, you can snack in good conscience on pretty much any diet.
