Snacks

     Snacking is a way of life in America.  We live to snack, when we are not living to eat heavy meals.  Advertising bombards us with sweet snack cakes, salty chips and creamy filling on a daily basis, but we don't see many ads for apples.  Of course, apples do have that nifty old saying about keeping health care workers at bay.
     I have a radically changed my way of snacking in the last year.  There are many things I just don't eat anymore, and many more that I have cut way, way back on.  A few things I hadn't touched in years have also become my daily friends.
     Candy is dandy, they say, but its also not the best choice for a snack on a regular basis.  First of all, you have to eat over 300 calories of candy to really fill up, and those are sugar packed calories that shock your system, spike your insulin and leave you crashed a short while later.  Do I eat candy?  Sure, but only on occasion.  It can't be an every day thing.
     Fruit is a much better option.  Its high in fiber, has friendly sugar for your system, is full of life-giving nutrients, and should be a daily choice.  Nuts are also great, packed with beneficial fats and other nutrients.  I eat one ounce of almonds almost every day.
     I love hummus, which weighs in at a mere 50 calories a serving, but when you add pita or crackers or chips to the snack (which you have to, because hummus is way too strong to eat from a spoon) you end up eating over 300 calories.  I suggest using fresh vegetables to dip instead.  Celery, carrots, and pepper strips are all great, but my personal favorite is turnip.  That's right, turnip.  I peel it, then slice it into 1/8" chips which go great on the hummus.  The entire turnip only has 35 calories on average, so with the 50 calories of hummus we are coming in under 100 calories for the very flavorful snack!
     Get creative.  Find ways to snack that are healthy and taste great.  If you have any, please share them with me.  I'm always eager to add more healthy variety to my diet.
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