We are all guilty of taking pleasure in eating snacks between meals. This is actually something that can be quite healthy, as long as we are eating the right kinds of snacks. Unfortunately, all too often we reach for a bag of potato chips or a chocolate bar, which are not the healthiest snack choices for us to make. Yes, we all have cravings for junk food and it's okay to have it once in a while, but if you are a regular snacker, then you need to make sure that the snacks you are eating are healthy and are not going to lead to health problems in the future.
High Protein Snacks for Energy
Usually at around three or four o'clock in the afternoon, we start to get the "blahs". We feel our energy winding down, and we just don't feel like getting the rest of our tasks done. This is when we need to have a little pick-me-up and high protein snacks are just the thing to have. Protein is a natural source of energy, and when you eat high protein snacks, you will get the energy you need to get you through the rest of your day at work, or whatever it is that you are doing. And because we need to have a certain amount of protein in our diets anyway, these snacks are an excellent way to make sure that we are getting enough and that the protein we get is being digested throughout the day.
Foods that Make Excellent High Protein Snacks
There are all kinds of delicious foods that make great high protein snacks and they are healthy enough for your whole family to eat. And some of the snacks are so tasty that you will have a difficult time believing that they are actually healthy. This is great when you have kids who are fussy and refuse to eat anything that is good for them. Some of the high protein snacks that you may want to start incorporating into your family's diet include:
Egg whites - Eggs are a complete protein, but there are a lot of people who just do not like eggs, especially kids. For a delicious sweet treat that your kids will love and never know they are eating something healthy, whip up some egg whites with a teaspoon of vanilla and some artificial sweetener. Bake until they are stiff, and you have delicious, healthy meringue cookies that everyone will want to eat all the time.
Cheese - Everyone loves cheese and it is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Some sliced cheese, any kind, and a few whole grain crackers make an excellent choice in high protein snacks, and this snack will also provide good carbohydrates and fats, as well as fiber that is necessary for digestion. Make this snack even healthier by adding some delicious, healthy fruit, such as apple slices or orange wedges and maybe even a few grapes for good measure. Another delicious snack is filling celery with cheese spread, which should also be low fat.
Beef Jerky - Believe it or not, beef jerky can be a healthy snack and it is extremely high in protein. When buying beef jerky, make sure that you find a type that is low in sodium. An even healthier alternative is to cut some thin slices of beef and season them to taste. Cook them in the oven at an extremely low heat for a few hours, and you have your own home-made, healthy beef jerky that your entire family will love.
Peanut Butter - Who doesn't like peanut butter? This is an excellent source of protein and a pretty tasty one, too. Peanut butter on whole grain crackers makes a great afternoon snack, or serve your kids a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread. If your kids don't like brown bread, there are new white breads that offer all of the nutritional goodness of whole grain products.
Oatmeal - Maybe you won't be able to convince everyone in your family that a bowl of oatmeal is a healthy snack, but you can make delicious oatmeal treats that are high in protein and your entire family will love snacking on them. You can take your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and substitute the sugar for artificial sweetener. And you can go all out and find a new recipe that uses whole wheat flour instead of white flour. These cookies will be delicious and healthy and loaded with protein.
Yogurt - All dairy products are complete proteins and yogurt is a delicious dairy product that most people love. Just make sure that you give your family yogurt that is low or non-fat. For a sweet treat in the summer, take your favorite flavored yogurts and pour them into trays made for making iced treats. Add the sticks and in a few hours, you will have frozen yogurt pops that your kids will love. For additional vitamins and nutrients, add extra berries into the mix before freezing.
Cold Pizza - This is a delicious treat that most of us love and when it is prepared properly, pizza can be extremely nutritious, providing us with the nutrients from all four of the basic food groups. When you make homemade pizza for your family, make enough so they can have it to snack on for a couple of days afterward. Use whole wheat flour for the dough and fresh tomatoes for your sauce. Add lean meats, chicken, pineapple, mushrooms, peppers, and other healthy ingredients and this makes one of the tastiest high protein snacks going.
These are just a few of the choices you have when it comes to high protein snacks. You can get really creative in the kitchen if you have the time, and there are plenty of great recipes available on the Internet and in cook books that you can use. And you can always use your own favorite recipes and substitute healthy ingredients for those that are not as good for you and your family.
High Protein Snacks for Energy
Usually at around three or four o'clock in the afternoon, we start to get the "blahs". We feel our energy winding down, and we just don't feel like getting the rest of our tasks done. This is when we need to have a little pick-me-up and high protein snacks are just the thing to have. Protein is a natural source of energy, and when you eat high protein snacks, you will get the energy you need to get you through the rest of your day at work, or whatever it is that you are doing. And because we need to have a certain amount of protein in our diets anyway, these snacks are an excellent way to make sure that we are getting enough and that the protein we get is being digested throughout the day.
Foods that Make Excellent High Protein Snacks
There are all kinds of delicious foods that make great high protein snacks and they are healthy enough for your whole family to eat. And some of the snacks are so tasty that you will have a difficult time believing that they are actually healthy. This is great when you have kids who are fussy and refuse to eat anything that is good for them. Some of the high protein snacks that you may want to start incorporating into your family's diet include:
Egg whites - Eggs are a complete protein, but there are a lot of people who just do not like eggs, especially kids. For a delicious sweet treat that your kids will love and never know they are eating something healthy, whip up some egg whites with a teaspoon of vanilla and some artificial sweetener. Bake until they are stiff, and you have delicious, healthy meringue cookies that everyone will want to eat all the time.
Cheese - Everyone loves cheese and it is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Some sliced cheese, any kind, and a few whole grain crackers make an excellent choice in high protein snacks, and this snack will also provide good carbohydrates and fats, as well as fiber that is necessary for digestion. Make this snack even healthier by adding some delicious, healthy fruit, such as apple slices or orange wedges and maybe even a few grapes for good measure. Another delicious snack is filling celery with cheese spread, which should also be low fat.
Beef Jerky - Believe it or not, beef jerky can be a healthy snack and it is extremely high in protein. When buying beef jerky, make sure that you find a type that is low in sodium. An even healthier alternative is to cut some thin slices of beef and season them to taste. Cook them in the oven at an extremely low heat for a few hours, and you have your own home-made, healthy beef jerky that your entire family will love.
Peanut Butter - Who doesn't like peanut butter? This is an excellent source of protein and a pretty tasty one, too. Peanut butter on whole grain crackers makes a great afternoon snack, or serve your kids a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread. If your kids don't like brown bread, there are new white breads that offer all of the nutritional goodness of whole grain products.
Oatmeal - Maybe you won't be able to convince everyone in your family that a bowl of oatmeal is a healthy snack, but you can make delicious oatmeal treats that are high in protein and your entire family will love snacking on them. You can take your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and substitute the sugar for artificial sweetener. And you can go all out and find a new recipe that uses whole wheat flour instead of white flour. These cookies will be delicious and healthy and loaded with protein.
Yogurt - All dairy products are complete proteins and yogurt is a delicious dairy product that most people love. Just make sure that you give your family yogurt that is low or non-fat. For a sweet treat in the summer, take your favorite flavored yogurts and pour them into trays made for making iced treats. Add the sticks and in a few hours, you will have frozen yogurt pops that your kids will love. For additional vitamins and nutrients, add extra berries into the mix before freezing.
Cold Pizza - This is a delicious treat that most of us love and when it is prepared properly, pizza can be extremely nutritious, providing us with the nutrients from all four of the basic food groups. When you make homemade pizza for your family, make enough so they can have it to snack on for a couple of days afterward. Use whole wheat flour for the dough and fresh tomatoes for your sauce. Add lean meats, chicken, pineapple, mushrooms, peppers, and other healthy ingredients and this makes one of the tastiest high protein snacks going.
These are just a few of the choices you have when it comes to high protein snacks. You can get really creative in the kitchen if you have the time, and there are plenty of great recipes available on the Internet and in cook books that you can use. And you can always use your own favorite recipes and substitute healthy ingredients for those that are not as good for you and your family.
About Protica Research Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility. |
from - http://ezinearticles.com/?Try-Eating-High-Protein-Snacks-Instead-of-Junk-Food&id=5085795
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