If you experience that inescapable feeling to grab something to eat towards the evening, whether it’s a slice of pizza or a packet of chips, don’t worry, you are not alone! 4 pm hunger pangs spares no one, strikes everyone with the same intensity and when that happens, instead of reaching out for cakes, cookies, biscuits, and the most popular choice “potato chips” with a high number of empty calories that leave you hungry in less than 2 hours; experts suggest munching on snacks with protein, fiber, and healthy fats that give you instant energy, keep you fuller for longer hours, and can help you lose weight as well. These healthy snacks are easy-to-make, weight loss friendly, and can be packed off to work to alleviate those 4 pm hunger pangs.
1. Apple Slices with Peanut Butter or Almond Butter: Take a medium-sized apple and make it into equal wedges, and dip it in peanut butter to get a delicious weight-loss friendly snack within minutes. You can dip apple wedges in almond butter and even carrot butter (it’s just finely grated carrots and butter mixed together!)
2. Strawberry with Cottage Cheese: All of us love berries and especially strawberries tend to be our favorite. Cottage cheese tastes amazing too. The combination of these two wonder ingredients makes for a great healthy and tasty snack that burns fat in the long run.
3. Berries with Greek Yogurt: Strawberries, blueberries, etc, are high in nutrients and low in calories, and they act as a great treat when mixed with Greek yogurt. When the yogurt is too runny, you can let it sit in a damp cloth which is lined over a sieve and keep it in fridge for whole night. Next morning, you’ll have thicker yogurt which is more creamy and delicious. The water that’s drained out, can be used for making dough for chapattis or parathas!
4. Vegetable Chips: Potato chips are not healthy at all, neither for weight loss nor for general health. No, not even baked chips because they usually have higher levels of a compound called “acrylamide” that can potentially cause nerve damage, increase the risk of cancer, among other health risks and create inflammation which is a major reason for weight gain. Instead, you can make homemade crispies and chips using sweet potato, turnips, and even beetroots! Just remember to bake them, not deep frying them in oil. Also read: “12 Healthier Alternatives to Potato Chips.”
5. Hummus with Carrots: The quickest way to make hummus is to take a garlic clove, some olive oil, red chilli powder, boiled chickpeas (chhole), salt and pepper and blend them in blender till thick and pasty! You can add lemon juice to get a sharp taste and dip carrot wedges for a satisfying mini meal.
6. Whole wheat crackers and Low-Fat Mozzarella Stick: Make small pieces of mozzarella cheese, lay them on wheat crackers and add toppings of tomato and cucumber slices for a mini treat.
7. Half Cup low-fat Milk with Half Cup of Nut-Based Granola: This is a filling snack with the goodness of nuts and milk.
8. One Dal Veggie Paratha with 1/2 Cup Yogurt: Got leftover dal? Use it to knead whole wheat flour to make soft dough, roll it out, make a paratha and have it with half a cup of yogurt – it’s a desi tasty treat!!!
9. Half an Avocado with Whole Wheat Crackers or Steamed Vegetables: A whole avocado is very calorie dense and that’s why we will take just half avocado, which is high in healthy fats, and pair it along side whole wheat crackers or steam veggies to make for the healthiest snack you can think of.
10. Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate has amazing health benefits, is full of antioxidants unlike the sugar-loaded regular chocolate. Experts say nibbling on dark chocolate can help lower stress levels.
11. Popcorn: Not the ones that come in microwavable packets, laced with butter and preservatives, but we are talking about the ones that can be popped out of organic kernels, which can be a considered a healthy snack with their high fiber, mineral content. Popcorn is hardly a junk food, it’s a whole grain, that when eaten in moderation wouldn’t make you overweight.
12. Grilled veggie Cheese Sandwich with Cottage Cheese: Just make sure the sandwich is made from brown bread.
These are some healthy snack options compared to unhealthy snacks like potato chips or tortilla chips or junk food like pizza or burgers that can lead to weight gain. But definitely feel free to indulge in your favorite snack once in a while! Do not deprive yourself of your favorite foods. Most importantly, if you are trying to lose weight, it’s important to be on a diet plan that encourages you to eat healthy and consume optimum number of calories, and it shouldn’t be actually restrictive, and flexible enough to be continued for as long as you want – Rati Beauty diet encourages you to eat healthy and delicious meals, is not based on the concept of food deprivation, and takes care of all your nutrient requirements, along with keeping you in calorie deficit so that you can drop extra pounds and burn fat consistently. You can check more details on the Rati Beauty app.
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12 Healthier Alternatives to Potato Chips
