Healthy snacks for healthy living
TonyRobinson

Snacking is one of those issues that can wreck the best laid
plan for healthier eating. Everyone wants a snack now and then,
but the key is to make those snacks healthy and nutritious as
well as delicious.

There are many great snacks that can be enjoyed guilt free. For
instance choosing snacks from whole grain products, fruits and
vegetables, milk and dairy products, meat and nuts can be a
great way to satisfy your craving without destroying your diet.

The world of grain and whole grain products contain a great many
healthy snacks, including whole grain breads (wheat bread and
rye bread are great choices), whole what bagels, wholesome
tortilla shells, pita bread and whole grain cereals.

The all important vegetable and fruit food group contains so
many ideas for healthy snacks that it would be impossible to
list them all here. Some of the best, tastiest and easiest fresh
fruit and vegetable snacks include baby carrots or carrot
slices, bit size vegetables such as broccoli florets, radishes
and green peppers, fresh vegetable and fruit juice and fruit
salads.

For a quick and easy fruit salad, try this five minute recipe.
Open a can of mandarin oranges and pour it into a bowl, making
sure to capture all the delicious juice as well. Cut up a
banana, an apple and a nectarine and add them to the bowl. Add
some strawberries, blueberries and raisins for extra taste and
color, and serve.

Of course fresh fruit also makes a great snack on its own.
Snacking on apples, bananas and oranges is a great way to eat
healthy and still enjoy delicious snacks. Keeping a bowl of
delicious fruit on the table or the coffee table is a great way
to encourage the entire family to eat healthier.

The milk and dairy products food group also contains many
healthy snack items, including low fat and nonfat yogurt, skim
milk, low fat puddings, cheeses and even chocolate milk.

Low fat cuts of prepared meats and low fat varieties of lunch
meats make great snacks as well. Sandwiches made with whole
grain bread and low calorie spreads like mustard can be a great
treat any time of day or night.

Canned tuna (packed in water of course), peanut butter, eggs and
egg substitutes, poultry, nuts and beans are also excellent
choices for healthy snacks.

When creating healthy snacks, it is important to limit the
consumption of high fat foods, and foods high in salt and
sodium. Instead of buying snacks in the snack aisle of the
grocery store, try making your own using some of the suggestions
listed above.

For added variety, try combining several different healthy
snacks in unexpected ways. For instance, try spreading peanut
butter on pita bread, or use it as a fun dip for apple slices.
Or top a whole grain English muffin with tuna and cheese. Place
it in the broiler for a few minutes and enjoy a healthy and
delicious snack.

Other good ideas for quick and healthy snacks include pairing
fresh fruit with nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt, adding fresh
fruit slices to cereal, and using fresh fruit and fruit juices
to make delicious smoothies.

To perk up bagels that are getting a little stale, try slicing
them into thin pieces and arranging them on a baking sheet.
Brush them with some low fat salt free butter or margarine, some
garlic powder and bake them for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.
This is a great way to make your own inexpensive and healthy
bagel chips without the preservatives or extra sodium found in
the store bought variety.

There are of course many other types of healthy snacks, and
their variety is only limited by your creativity. It is
important to make a variety of healthy snacks, and keep them
readily at hand. Replacing all those unhealthy snacks with
healthier alternatives is one of the best ways to keep snack
cravings from sidetracking your healthy eating goals.

About the author:

Tony Robinson is a Company CEO, webmaster husband and dad. In
his busy lifestyle he has placed importance on health and
fitness. Visit http://www.eat-healthily.com for good eating tips
and techniques to assist you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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Eating healthy is something we all would like to do, although it can be hard. In order to eat healthy, you must first make the right food choices. Eating healthy is all about what you eat, which makes the choices very crucial to your results.

Grains
You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day. To do this, you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice, crackers, or pasta. You can get an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread, or 1 cut of cereal.

Vegetables
These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of them each day. You should start eating more of the dark vegetables, such as broccili and spinach. Carrots and
sweet potatoes are good as well. You should also eat more dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney beans.

Fruits
Fruits are very important. You should try to eat 2 cups of them each day. Focus on eating a variety, such as fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit. You can drink fruit juices as well, although you should use moderation when doing so.

Milk
Milk is your calcium rich friend. For adults, 3 cups is the ideal goal. For kids 2 – 8, 2 cups is where you want to be. When choosing milk products or yogurt, you should go for fat-free or low-fat. Those of you who don’t like milk or can’t have it, should go for lactose free products or other sources of calcium such as fortified foods and beverages.

Meat and beans
Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go lean with your protein. When eating meat, always bake it, grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from
adding to the equation. You should vary your protein as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard. These foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can
also help raise your cholesterol as well. Therefore, you should try to add these foods and any foods that happen to contain them.

To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low, you can check the nutrition facts label. This label can be found on the food package and will tell you all the
information you need to know about the food item.

By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat, you’ll help control your lifestyle. Exercise is great as well, as it goes along perfect with a healthy eating
lifestyle. No matter what your age may be, eating healthy will help you keep your active lifestyle for years and years – even help you and your health in the long run
as well.

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Studies have shown that there are more people who are overweight now than ever before. To counter this threat, health professionals have come up with various ways to lose weight.

Some programs recommend the person eat products that are rich in carbohydrates while cutting down on protein and the other way around. A few examples of these are the south beach diet, protein power and the Aitkins diet.

One program that could make the person have great abs and lose weight is called the Abs diet.

Mr. David Zinczenko is the person who designed the abs diet. Thos who want to try this should commit to the program over a 6-week period. After which the individual will see a dramatic change such as flatter abs and weight loss.

This dietary plan was initially designed for men but some women have also tried it and have reported to show positive results.

Studies have shown that a pound of muscle gained helps the person burn more than 50 calories per day. So, if after extensive work in the gym the individual is able to develop 10 pounds of muscle, this translates to burning 500 calories daily.

People who follow the program consistently are able to lose twelve pounds in the first two weeks with about five to eight in the succeeding weeks.

Everybody normally eats three square meals a day. This diet program involves eating small servings six times a week. The food consists of eggs, whole grain cereals or bread, poultry, lean meat, low fat dairy products and certain fruits.

Aside from only eating those in the list, the person will also have to endure a 20-minute workout three times a week that is designed to help in the fat burning process.

The abs diet is fairly new compared to other programs that have been around for more than 10 years.

The abs diet is available in the bookstore or in the Internet. It is best to read up on it and do some research so the person will be able to understand what will happen should the individual decide to try it out.

It is also advisable to consult with the doctor to make sure the food to be taken in and the exercises to be done weekly are safe.

Losing weight will not be easy. The person should be serious about it and follow all the directions in order to achieve the desired results.

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