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Most of us avoid snacks for fear of weight gain. But healthy snacks can contribute to health benefits. Recent trend advises eating between meals in addition to the three meals a day that we normally consume. Frequent feeding has been found to lower the cholesterol levels in our bloodstream. It has also been associated with lower levels of threatening substances like sugar, triglycerides, insulin and also the stress hormone cortisol. Health snacks are also included in weight loss programs and are important in a child’s diet.

Though snacking between meals has been found to be beneficial for our health, it also obviously depends on what we are snacking on. Choose a snack with a mix of protein, carbohydrates, health fats and about 100 calories.

• Mixed Nuts: Snacking on almonds, peanuts and cashew is a great way to add protein and also healthy unsaturated fats to your body. Mix a handful of almonds with blueberries or dried tart cherries and munch them  Anytime you feel tempted to eat between meals.

• Walnuts: For a low-carb diet, go for walnuts which have only 4 gms of carb per ounce. Another reason to snack your day through with walnuts is their rich content of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

• Plain Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is made by straining the water from the normal versions and contains twice as much protein. Greek yogurt also provides the added benefits of providing our body with calcium and our digestive tract with gut-friendly probiotic bacteria. Add some chopped walnuts and honey for that extra taste.

• Hard-boiled Eggs: They are rich in branched chain amino acids, the most anabolic amino acids which are present in our body making eggs the most useful diet during muscle-building. So, grab a low-fat and low-calorie hard-boiled egg each time you feel like going to the vending machine.
• Protein Bars: Opt for protein bars which are available in wide varieties. Munching this delicious, high-protein snack is the perfect way to snack during your breaks. Ensure that you check the carbohydrate and fat content if you are on a weight loss program.

• Mixed Cereal: If you are starving, but there’s still time for your next meal, take a cup of any mixed cereal like organic oat bran flakes or bran flakes to kill those hunger pangs.
• Popcorn: Popcorns not only make a great munching snack during movies, but also is a healthy way of subduing your cravings between meals. It is low in calories and is a great source of fiber and vitamin B12, which helps in boosting metabolism and also helps in burning the stored fats and calories.

• Watermelons: Eating watermelons helps satiate our stomach. This is because watermelon has high content of water and eating foods with high water content keeps us full and so we eat less. Watermelon is one of the highest water containing fruits and has the added benefit of having low calories. So eat this healthy snack whenever you are hungry.

Eating healthy snacks can help you to avoid eating unhealthy snacks. Keep at hand cut vegetables, whole fruit and cottage cheese to snack on during breaks. To know more about health snacks, click here.