Quick, Healthy Snacks
On the go and need a quick snack? Don't ruin your workout and waistline by eating something that can blow an otherwise great day of healthy eating! Yet, you go to the store and see rows and rows of "nutritional" bars and wonder which one to pick... You could just grab any one (hey, they're in the health food section so they must all be healthy, right?) but some of them are as bad for you as eating a candy bar... Or you could try to find one that seems healthier but then it tastes awful... Here's hoping I can save you the time of going through them all, the money wasted by choosing one that you can't even stomach on an empty stomach... Here are some fast options that are healthy, and taste good too!
Number #1 Ranking: Jacky's favorite are Dr. Weil's Banana Manna bars. If you like bananas, you'll love these bars! They are natural and have no preservatives, artificial colorings or other toxic stuff. A pleasant way to cure a sweet tooth, too! Eat a light dinner and consider saving room for one of these bars afterwards if you normally crave sweets after dinner. These are found in most supermarkets, health food stores, as well as on Dr. Weil's website, www.DrWeil.com. (Jacky has no affiliation with Dr. Weil and receives nothing for her recommendation)
Number #2 Ranking: Run into a grocery store, grab a piece of fruit and pack up a small handfull of almonds from the bulk foods section (or grab a bagful from the nuts section, have a small handful today, then take the others home and make small baggies of small handfuls, and keep small packets in your car). Or, how about a package of raspberries or blueberries? These taste great and are some of the healthies foods on the planet (especially if you can wash them off to avoid chemicals or "bugs" that could be on the surface).
Bars to Avoid: Any that have "partially hydrogenated" oils. This means it has trans fats, regardless of what the nutritional label says. That does eliminate most candy bars right there, without getting any deeper into their unhealthful contents (yes, many candy bars have trans fats in them!). Generally, if the bar is made by, or named after, a candy bar, laugh when they call it an "energy bar" on the wrapper and leave it on the shelf.
Usually, a bar that is labeled "Raw Food" has a good chance of being decently healthy. Raw food diets consist of uncooked fruits, vegetables, and nuts or grains. People who shop and follow a raw food diet are generally health food finantics, so following in their footsteps can be an easy guide ... Just cross your fingers that it tastes good! Could be a case of trial and error... but give it a try and you never know, you might like it!
To contact me: 602-391-6210 or jacky@bodydefinitions.com.
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