This article is about healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss. While you read through this article, you will learn what snacks are, problems with snacks, and examples of healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss. You will also see examples of those snacks you should avoid; the unhealthy snacks.

Almonds, dark chocolate, apple slices with peanut butter, homemade popcorn, dried fruits and red bell paper in guacamole are all healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss.

Without further ado…

What are snacks?

They are basically small amounts of food eaten between meals. This is according to the English dictionary. Pretty simple isn’t it? Well, probably not simple enough for everyone to understand.

For some people, actually many, cakes and fries come to their minds when someone talks about snacks. This could explain the reason why many indulge in unhealthy snacks (small foods between meals). Probably because they have not learned about the other options, many of which we have mentioned below in this article.

What should healthy snacks look like?  What makes good snacks for weight loss?

Depending on what you are trying to achieve some snacks can be unhealthy. This may not be just for weight loss but overall. You might get away with a one-time bite, however, most of these foods are somewhat attractive. Very few survive falling into the habit of unhealthy snacking.

For weight loss;

Healthy snacks should support your weight loss goals.  Ideally, they should be foods which are;

• High in proteins
• Have fiber
• Low calories

The above three attributes can give you a picture of what a healthy snack should be.

Foods high in sugar, with low fiber and little or no protein, are many times he ones we should avoid when choosing  healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss

Examples of healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss

 

1. Almonds

Almonds are high in fat but are very instrumental when it comes to keeping you feeling full. They are also rich in fiber which will also help in easing digestion. You can eat almonds on their own or even get them among other mixed nuts.

Healthline has written a great article about the health benefits of almonds. Please check it out here.

2. Chocolate

Surprisingly, hocolate has plenty of health benefits which many people know nothing about.  Chocolate contains; Sodium, riboflavin, vitamin E, sugars, calcium fats, and protein. There are different types of chocolate; dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate is the healthiest chocolate you can snack on when you feel that urge between meals. It ideally contains less sugar than the white and milk chocolates, which makes it good for snacking.

We have an article about chocolate and weight loss, take a look here. In this article, you will learn about the different types of chocolates and the health benefits of eating chocolate in general.

3. Apple slices peanut butter

This combination provides a wonderful snacking experience yet still gives you great health benefits from the two.

Apples have good fiber among the many health benefits they are associated with. Healthline has written about apples and their health benefits.

On the other hand, peanut has slightly more calories but if consumed moderately, then there is nothing to worry about.

Peanut has also been linked to improving heart health among other many health benefits. This makes this combination a perfect one for snacking.

4. Popcorn

I would say homemade popcorn in this case because you can choose the seasoning before you pop it.

Popcorn is high in fiber and is a whole grain which makes it one of the best healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss.

Whole grains are known to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer. This makes popcorn a perfect snack for weight loss.

5. Fruits (whole fruits)

Whole fruits are great snacks due to the individual health benefits present in each one of them.

Snacking is not that complicated, you can simply pack whole fruits to snack on when you feel hungry between major meals.

6. Dried fruit

Dry fruits are perfect healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss because they contain great amounts of fiber that keeps you filled up.

The fancy thing about dry fruits is that they are portable and have no added sugar which makes them a perfect solution for weight loss snacks.

In addition, the different fruits have many other health benefits that you can take advantage of in dry fruits.

7. Red bell pepper in guacamole

This is actually a yummy snack! It absolutely tastes great if you know how to make guacamole the right way.

Guacamole is an avocado-based dip with lime juice, salad, salt, onions, tomatoes, and garlic. You can see the recipe for guacamole here.

Bell papers have many health benefits for example improved eye health and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Green bell peppers or red bell peppers?

Red bell papers are healthiest as they take longer to grow. Green bell peppers are harvested earlier than the reds.

8. Dark chocolate and almonds

This is also one of the healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss. These can be eaten as a combination bought from the supermarket.

We have already seen, from above, the health benefits of almonds and also chocolate eaten separately. Snacking on this pair will help you take advantage of the many health benefits associated with both.

The more the cacao in the chocolate, the better. Please consider 70% cacao when buying dark chocolate for snacking for weight loss because cacao is higher in iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Primarily, cacao reduces stress levels which is very important for weight loss.

9. Cucumber with hummus

These two go amazingly well together and are perfectly healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss. The combination provides a low-calorie snack which can keep you going until your next meal.

Cucumber has great amounts of water which is sure to keep you hydrated, among other many health benefits. You can read them in this article by Medical News Today.

Hummus on the other hand is high in fibre which is sure to keep you filled and avoid unhealthy snacks or other bad foods for weight loss.

10. Roasted Chickpeas

These are high in protein and fiber which are essential for weight loss. They are also crunchy and just like popcorn is a great snack that will not get you cheating on your weight loss goals.

These are better when roasted at home. If you buy them from the supermarket, read the label for added ingredients or seasoning used before consuming.

How about unhealthy snacks? Let’s see some examples.

Common unhealthy snacks for weight loss

1. Potato chips and French fries

It is very important to read the labels before snacking on French fries. According to Healthline, the average serving of French fries contains 427 calories which are way too high.

Potato chips are also high in fat and salt and worst of all are most times eaten with high sugar ketchup. Because of this, potato chips are worth avoiding if you are looking for healthy snacks for weight loss.

2. Milk chocolate

Dark chocolate is the ideal type you may want to snack on if you are one of those looking to keep your body in shape and in good health.

Milk chocolates contain a lot of added sugar and fat and are quite easy to overeat because of their taste.

3. Cookies and doughnuts

These are terribly high in calories as they mostly have a lot of added sugar. They are also made from refined ingredients like flour which is unhealthy.

The problem with most of these is that; usually, if they fresh from the store, they have no packaging. This means they will be easily picked up without reading the labels.

4. Ice cream

Ice cream is full of sugar and fat. If you are looking for healthier ice cream, try making your own at home or look for one that is less than 15gms of sugar per serving.

5. Some protein bars

Not all protein bars out there are good for health. Likewise, not all of them are bad. Protein bars can be a good way to add protein to your diet.

The problem is highly processed inorganics ones. In fact, most of them contain added sugar in high amounts and worst of all, some don’t even disclose on their label.

6. Generally processed snacks

These mostly contain added sugar and salt which is a danger to your weight loss goals and health in general.

7. Rice cakes

These are made from processed rice which is high in carbohydrates. These can increase your blood sugar levels. The favored ones also contain extra sugar and salt.

8. Some mixed nuts

Some mixed nuts contain added sugar and salt. The sugar is usually added in chocolate chips and other forms like M&Ms. This is why it is very important to look at the label before snacking.

9. Flavored yogurt

Almost the same story as all the above; this contains so much added sugar. It is always better to stick to the unflavored ( natural yogurts) also because of their additional health benefits.

10. Microwaved popcorn

So many dangers trace back to this type of popcorn. Beware of the type of popcorn you eat at the cinema while you catch a movie. It links to lung diseases amongst many others.

Bottom line

Healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss can be found by carefully examining the values in particular foods. Some of the healthy snacks listed in this article are a little bit high in calories. For this reason, it is advisable to consume them in moderated amounts.

This goes probably for all the healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss, avoid overindulgence, and always watch out for the right proportions.