Snacks part 2: Best low calorie snacks

Now that we have taken a look at the best low-calorie dairy snacks, it’s time to move on to part 2: Best low-calorie crunchy snacks. Let’s review the basic criteria for a ’healthy’ snack? Keep the following in mind when choosing your snacks:

• Offer between 100 and 200 calories
• Are fat-controlled (unless it’s heart-healthy unsaturated fat), providing 0 g trans fats and 3 g saturated fat or less per serving
• Are relatively low in sodium; strive to limit the sodium in your low-calorie snacks to 400 mg or less
• Are nutrient-rich: a good food source of protein, dietary fiber and/or key vitamin and minerals (such as iron, vitamins A, C or calcium)
• Offer a little something extra: are available in calorie-controlled portions, contain no high-fructose corn syrup and little added sugar; are gluten or lactose-free, have added omega-3 fatty acids, etc…

These snacks are all about convenience – they are widely available and take no preparation time/work. Another benefit of these snacks is that they are all healthy for a vegetarian/vegan.

Snacks Part 2: Top 3 low-calorie crunchy snacks

Crispy snacks: Best pick

• Popcorn, Indiana Sea Salt Chip’ins: ‘Popcorn’ chips are the hottest new snacks in the chip aisle. They are made with simple, all natural ingredients: corn, sunflower oil, and sea salt. They are ‘popped’ instead of baked and have an extra crispy texture. These crunchy snacks are whole-grain based and gluten-free. They come in a variety of other flavors, such as Classic BBQ and White Cheddar. A 1-oz. serving of the Sea Salt Chip’ins provides 120 calories, 2.5 g fat, 0 g saturated/trans fats, 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber and 230 mg sodium. For an extra nutrition boost, make a homemade salsa for dipping with diced tomato, red onion, jalapeno or Serrano pepper, lime juice, chopped cilantro and a dash of pepper, sea salt and cumin (optional) to taste.

Nutty snacks: Top choice

• Blue Diamond Oven Roasted Almonds: These oven roasted almonds come in many flavors, sweet flavors, such as butter toffee and cinnamon brown sugar and savory flavors, such as plain and sea salt. Nuts, in general, make for healthy snacks. A 1-oz. serving of the sea salt oven roasted almonds provides 170 calories, 15 g fat (only 1 g saturated fat), 5 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber and 135 mg sodium. In addition to being naturally (nearly) sugar-free, these almond snacks are nutrient-rich. One serving is a good/excellent source of vitamin E, riboflavin (B2), phosphorus, copper, magnesium and manganese.

Protein-rich vegan snacks: Nutrition beyond compare

• Steamed or boiled soybeans (in the pod) with sea salt: this snack only takes a small amount of preparation. You’ll need 1/4 lb. fresh soybeans or 4 ounces frozen (bagged); Kosher or sea salt and rice crackers (these make a nice accompaniment). In a pot of boiling water, add the soybeans and cook until they are bright green (about 5 minutes). Drain and refresh in cold water. Sprinkle with salt and serve with a couple of rice crackers. A 1-cup serving of prepared soybeans (without salt or crackers) provides 189 calories, 8 g fat (only 1 g saturated), 16 g carbohydrates, a whopping 17 g of protein and 8 g dietary fiber (roughly 1/3 of your daily requirement) and 7 mg sodium (naturally occurring). Soybeans are nutrition superstars. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, they are high in iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc, potassium, folate, vitamins C, K and others…you can’t go wrong with soybeans as snacks are rarely this naturally nutritious!

Depression: Foods that Fight Depression

Depression is a serious condition and should be treated/diagnosed by a qualified health care professional. If you are struggling with mild depression, particularly seasonal affective disorder (SAD), look to your diet. Did you know that nutritional deficiencies can increase your vulnerability to mood changes and mild to moderate depression? Certain nutrients, such as carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, found in healthy foods, can alter your brain chemistry, which plays a large role in your overall mental health. In addition to complex carbohydrates, certain B-vitamins, iron and omega-3 essential fatty acids are all important nutrients in your quest to help alleviate mild depressive symptoms.

Depression: Recommended Foods, Food Groups and Nutrients

Complex carbohydrates -pasta, potatoes, whole-wheat bread, cereal and brown rice contain tryptophan, an amino acid that converts to serotonin in the brain, a chemical that helps regulate mood, appetite and sleep. Elevated levels of serotonin in the brain are associated with happiness and a positive mood, not depression. Try starchy, root vegetables as well such as turnips, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, corn and squash.

Iron- iron deficiency symptoms are not unlike those of mild depression: an inability to concentrate, feeling sluggish/irritable and fatigue. Make sure you consume foods rich in this important trace mineral. Good food sources include lean meat, fortified cereals, prunes and other dried fruits, seafood and dark green veggies.

B-vitamins- Folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B6 are essential for producing a class of brain chemical messengers that influence behavior, one of which is serotonin. Eat plenty of vitamin B6-rich foods, such as fish, poultry, bananas, nuts, potatoes and whole grains. Folate deficiency can contribute to depression. Think ‘greens and beans,’ and concentrate on fortified cereals, broccoli and spinach and orange juice for folate. Keep in mind that cooking destroys folate.

Omega-3 fats- those that consume oily fish, such as tuna and salmon, regularly have particularly low rates of depression. All seafood contains some omega-3 fats, a class of polyunsaturated fats necessary for the health of both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish also trigger the production of serotonin. Non-seafood sources of omega-3 fats include walnuts, flaxseeds and canola oil.

Fig Nutrition Facts

Q: What is the succulent fruit of the ficus tree?
A: The fig of course!

The fig is actually not a fruit but a flower that has inverted itself, producing an edible, sweet, chewy, seed-filled flesh. If your only exposure to or taste of a fig is via a “newton,” (aka cookie) then you’re missing out on one of the world’s healthiest and tastiest fruits!

Cleopatra’s favorite fruit, the fig, originated in western Asia. Figs are thought to have been introduced to the U.S. by a Spanish missionary in the late 1500′s. The nutritional benefits of figs are astounding. Figs are low in calories, delicious, a good source of dietary fiber and contain vitamins and minerals such as potassium, vitamin B6 and manganese. They are rich in disease fighting phytochemicals (flavonoids and polyphenols).

A fig can be eaten both fresh and dried and are primarily grown in California (where they are known as ‘mission’ figs). There are over 100 varieties of figs that vary in texture, color, flavor (slightly) and size.

Fig Calories, selection and preparation

One fresh fig (2.5″ in diameter or about 64 grams) provides only 47 calories, 0 g fat and 2 g dietary fiber. California figs are in season June through September. Beware: a fresh fig is one of the most perishable fruits (meaning they go bad fast). Purchase yours two days maximum before you plan to eat them. Choose figs that are plump and tender but not mushy, have firm stems and are bruise-free. Avoid figs that have a sour smell. Choose those with a mildly sweet scent.

Wash fresh figs before you eat or cook them under cool water. Gently remove stems before wiping them dry. You can simply pop dried figs right in your mouth, use fresh or dried figs in recipes (below) or simmer them in water/fruit juice for a few minutes to make them plump and juicy.

RECIPE
Fig and Arugula Salad with Parmesan
Ingredients

2 Tbs minced shallots
1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
16 fresh figs, each cut in half lengthwise
6 cups trimmed arugula (about 6 ounces)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add figs; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Add arugula and pepper; toss well. Top with cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Facts for Fig and Arugula Salad with Parmesan
(per serving): 152.7 calories; 32% calories from fat; 5.7 g total fat; 5.5 mg cholesterol; 253.2 mg sodium; 371.6 mg potassium; 24.1 g carbohydrates; 3.8 g fiber; 16.8 g sugar; 4.4 g protein.

Beets nutrition information and benefits

The Mighty Beet is Back…

Have you ever bought fresh beets? Beets are back ’in-style’ and add much more to your plate than vivid color. If you have not heard about the health benefits of beets, keep reading…not a fan? Well, maybe that’s because you’ve never tried this hearty root vegetable FRESH. Try ‘em the grown-up way (uncanned) and get ready to love a food you never thought you’d like. It’s easy to love fresh beets, and not just for their nutritional advantages. While we often think of beets having a reddish-purple hue, some varieties are white, golden-yellow or even rainbow colored. The sweet, buttery taste of beets reflects their high sugar content making them an important raw material for the production of refined sugar. In fact, they have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, yet are very low in calories.

Peak season for beets is June – October (when they are most tender) and are easy to prepare at home. Pass by blemished bulbs with wilted greens and look for healthier bulbs. You’ll find the prettiest beets at your local farmer’s market. By the way, don’t throw out those greens so fast! They are chock full of nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium. Greens can be sautéed in garlic and olive oil. Beets are rich in folate, potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber and contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.

Preparing Beets: Beet Recipe

Beets can be peeled, steamed, and eaten warm with butter as a delicacy; cooked, pickled, and eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and eaten as a salad. Pickled beets are a traditional food of the American South. It is also common in Australia for pickled beetroot to be consumed on a burger.

An increasingly popular preparation method is roasting beets. To roast beets, trim the greens away from the beets (leave about 1/4″), thoroughly clean beets with a veggie scrubber and place in a baking dish. Add 1/4″ of water to the dish. Cover. Place medium beets (4-6 oz) in the oven and roast for 40-45 minutes (a little less or more time for smaller and larger beets, respectively). They’re done when a knife easily penetrates the beet. Allow to cool in the baking dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Roasted beets are wonderful on their own or dressed with a vinaigrette, and they’ll keep, refrigerated, for 5 days in a covered bowl.

Approx Nutritional Information: 1 roasted beet: 44 calories; Total fat: < 0.5 g; cholesterol 0 mg; sodium 77 mg; Total carbohydrates 10.0 g; Dietary Fiber 2.0 g; Sugars 8.0 g; Protein 1.7 g.

Avocado nutrition information and benefits

The avocado is a very unique fruit. Yes, it is a fruit. Though an avocado is a high-calorie, high-fat fruit, its nutrition and health benefits are beyond compare. This is definitely a food you should incorporate into your diet. This abundant cash crop was introduced to the United States, by Mexico, in the 19th century and today, roughly 95% of U.S. avocado production is located in southern California. Avocados are cultivated in Florida as well.

Avocado: Varieties

There are two flowering types of avocados (categorized as “A” or “B”) and they are differentiated according to the timing of the male and female flowering phases. There are a whopping 500 avocado varieties! However, seven varieties are (commercially) grown in California and include the Bacon, Hass (year-round), Fuerte, Gwen, Pinkerton, Reed and Zutano. The Lamb Hass is a  relatively newly cultivated summer variety of the Hass avocado. The Hass varieties accounts for nearly 95% of the total California crop.

“A” cultivars: Hass, Gwen, Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed

“B” cultivars: Fuerte, Sharwil, Zutano, Bacon, Ettinger, Sir Prize, Walter Hole

All varieties are creamy and delicious with similar nutrition profiles, though certain varieties are ‘summer,’ others are ‘year-round’, etc. They also differ slightly in flavor, shape and color. You are probably most familiar with Hass and Fuerte avocados.

The Hass avocado is also the most cultivated variety worldwide, accounting for 80% of the all cultivated avocados. The Hass avocado has a rich, nutty flavor. The flesh is a light green color and the fruit oval in shape with black, pebbly skin. It ripens to a purplish-black color.

Top producers of the Fuerte avocado (also abundant in the U.S.) are (in order) Mexico, Indonesia and the Unites States. This type of avocado is medium-sized and pear-shaped fruit. The skin is leathery, green and easy to peel (ripens green). The creamy flesh is a yellow-green color, rich and mild-tasting.

Avocado: Nutrition Facts

Avocados are nutrient-rich. This fruit contains roughly a dozen different essential nutrients. Avocadoes have some carbohydrate, protein and lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They are also high in dietary fiber and offer vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, pantothenic acid (B5), potassium, riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3).  A 1-oz. portion (about 1/5th of the fruit) meets 4% to 8% of the Recommended Daily Value (DV) for each of the vitamins and minerals mentioned. The nutrition facts vary slightly according to the variety and origin. Just 1-oz. provides about 45 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, no cholesterol and no sodium.

Obviously, the larger your portion the more nutrients you consume. One cup of cubed avocado, or about 150 grams (unspecified variety) provides 240 calories, 22 g fat (only 3 g saturated fat), 3 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 10 g dietary fiber, no cholesterol and only 11 mg sodium. Though that is probably more calories and fat than you wish to consume in a 1-cup serving of fruit, the amount of dietary fiber and vitamin C (meets 25% of the DV) alone is astounding. In addition, most of the fat is very heart-healthy (monounsaturated) and yes, you do need fat in your diet!

Try this fresh, quick and easy avocado-based (guacamole) recipe:

Not only is this heart-healthy and tasty, but it is colorful and festive. Roughly mash one large ripe avocado and add 2 Tbsp diced sweet onion, 1/4 of a large, ripe tomato (seeded) or a handful of diced cherry tomatoes, 1 minced serrano chilis (stems and seeds removed) or jalapeno pepper, the juice of 1/2 lime or lemon and a pinch of coarse salt and pepper to taste.