Including 10 nutritious snacks for healthy and sustainable weight loss
Why starving yourself won't work.
Are you tired of restricting yourself in order to reach your weight loss goals?
When embarking on your weight loss journey, good nutrition and correctly fuelling your body is very important. This means eating regularly to keep your energy boosted and avoid feeling frustrated or ravenous, which can often result in overeating[1].
Snacking is also a brilliant way to provide extra nutrients through your diet, especially when choosing healthful food sources such as wholegrains, fruit and veg, nuts, and lean sources of protein[2].
It is important to note that everybody is different, therefore snacking may not be a helpful technique to lose weight for some.
It’s a common myth that in order to lose weight you must eat less- when really, it’s the content of the meals and snacks that your progress depends on. If you often find yourself feeling hungry or unsatisfied after eating, this may be because your meals are not adequately balanced with good proportions of protein, carbs and healthy fat.
Snack smarter: the components of a balanced snack
Choosing the correct components for a snack is crucial during a weight loss phase, because in order to feel full and satisfied all snacks should be balanced [3].
This means making sure that your snacks have a balanced macronutrient content, as this will help avoid cravings for junk food and nutrient sparse choices.
But what does this mean? A snack with balanced macronutrients refers to one that contains relatively equal proportions of protein and carbs, with some healthy fat.
For example, if you were to reach for a snack like a chocolate bar, this will be predominantly carbohydrate, often leaving you unsatia
ted despite the high energy content.
However, a snack like Greek yoghurt with berries and dark chocolate is a more balanced option because there is a source of protein from the yoghurt, carbs from the berries and a bit of healthy fat from the chocolate [4].
Why macronutrients matter: How to combine macros to form a balanced snack
Studies have suggested that sources of protein and whole grain carbohydrates play an important role in satiation and feeling satisfied after a snack [5].
This is because your body takes a longer time to break down these food sources, therefore allowing you to feel fuller for longer.
Don’t forget about healthy fat sources though, as they also play an important role in providing nutrients and adding a pop of flavour.
Balancing macronutrients is an important part of weight loss because the longer you feel full for, the less likely you are to go off track and overeat [6].
This might seem like a confusing concept, however with professional guidance you are more likely to be successful on your weight loss journey.
Keep reading for some delicious and balanced snack ideas to kickstart your weight loss goals...
10 Delicious Snack Ideas with balanced macros to boost your energy and nutrition.
1. Fat free Greek yoghurt with nut butter & berries
Kcal: 146, Protein: 10g, Carbs: 15g, Fat: 6g
- 100g fat free Greek yoghurt
- 80g mixed berries
- 10g peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
2. Wholegrain crackers with cottage cheese and cucumber
Kcal: 188, Protein: 14g, Carbs: 21g, Fat: 6g
- 2 wholegrain Ryvita
- 100g cottage cheese
- 100g cucumber, sliced
3. Green power protein smoothie
Kcal: 196, Protein: 28g, Carbs: 17g, Fat: 3g
- ½ banana (freeze first for a thicker consistency)
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 scoop of vegan protein powder
- 200ml almond milk
4. Hard boiled eggs with mixed veggie sticks
Kcal: 162, Protein: 15g, Carbs: 6g, Fat: 11g
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- Mixed vegetable sticks (Carrots, cucumber, bell pepper)
5. Tuna on rice cakes with spring onion
Kcal: 213, Protein: 27g, Carbs: 17g, Fat: 4g
- 1 can of tuna in spring water
- 2 wholegrain rice cakes
- 10g light mayonnaise
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
6. Sliced apple with chocolate ‘dip’
Kcal: 191, Protein: 11g, Carbs: 35g, Fat: 1g
- 1 large apple, sliced
To make the dip, combine:
- 140g fat free Greek yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon of coco powder
- 1 teaspoon of honey
7. Sweet potato ‘toast’ with avocado
Kcal: 178, Protein: 2g, Carbs: 24g, Fat: 8g
- 1/2 medium sweet potato sliced thin & toasted.
- 1/2 small avocado, smashed.
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste.
8. Berry blast protein smoothie (no protein powder)
Kcal: 183, Protein: 11g, Carbs: 30g, Fat: 2g
- 150g fat free Greek yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 75g frozen mixed berries
- 200ml almond milk, unsweetened
9. Roasted spicy chickpeas.
Kcal: 188, Protein: 9g, Carbs: 27g, Fat: 5g
- 100g drained & dried chickpeas (canned)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Seasonings of choice (Paprika, salt & pepper, lemon juice, chilli flakes, cumin, etc).
10. Blueberries & protein bar
Kcal: 237, Protein: 20g, Carbs: 24g, Fat: 8g
- 1 protein bar of choice (Check energy content first, this snack is based off a MyProtein vegan bar)
- Handful of blueberries, roughly 60g
Did you know at Nutrition and Co, our expert registered dietitian's provide bespoke 1-1 online nutrition support.
References
[1]Chan, T.H., (2021) The Science of Snacking. [online] The Nutrition Source. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/snacking/#:~:text=Benefits.
[2] Elfhag, K. and Rossner, S., (2005) Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain. Obesity Reviews, 61, pp.67–85.
[3] Kong, A., Beresford, S.A.A., Alfano, C.M., Foster-Schubert, K.E., Neuhouser, M.L., Johnson, D.B., Duggan, C., Wang, C.-Y., Xiao, L., Bain, C.E. and McTiernan, A., (2011) Associations between Snacking and Weight Loss and Nutrient Intake among Postmenopausal Overweight to Obese Women in a Dietary Weight-Loss Intervention. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 11112, pp.1898–1903.
[4] Miller, R., Benelam, B., Stanner, S.A. and Buttriss, J.L., (2013) Is snacking good or bad for health: An overview. Nutrition Bulletin, 383, pp.302–322.
[5] Chapelot, D., (2010) The Role of Snacking in Energy Balance: a Biobehavioral Approach. The Journal of Nutrition, 1411, pp.158–162.
[6] Marmonier, C., Chapelot, D. and Louis-Sylvestre, J., (2000) Effects of macronutrient content and energy density of snacks consumed in a satiety state on the onset of the next meal. Appetite, 342, pp.161–168.