You’re rushing to get out the door, you’re running late and you are on your way to the office, but you need to grab a quick snack…what do you choose: the muffin, the chocolate chip cookies, the bag of sour cream and onion potato chips, the powdered doughnuts, the slice of crème pie, the pudding cup or the premium butter pecan ice cream? If the choice of overly processed highly-packaged unhealthy snacks is endless then narrow your options. It’s time to revert to raw. That’s right, raw vegetables taste great, are easy to prepare and CAN become your snack of choice. How? Build a personalized menu of just seven healthy snacks that you can eat anytime and anywhere.
These days we’re all in a rush to get somewhere. In our going, we grab what we can from what we already have in the house. But, what can we grab that isn’t fattening, isn’t overly processed (usually the overly packaged stuff) and doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare. What is simple, easy, quick and healthy? You need a choice that is better than the latest advertised trendy new 100-calorie snack that the large food companies want to test on you.
Give yourself a break from reading the labels and subjecting your body to designer-foods that some chemist has fabricated to hook you on over-consumption. Revert to raw! Vegetables, nuts, seeds and other raw foods often deliver higher levels of nutrients and their God-created to digest and be metabolized more effectively. If you’re not used to eating raw then you’ll discover it is a new learning adventure in food textures, smells and flavors. Give it some time. Part of the fun is continually exploring your options. Build a custom menu of your current seven most favorite raw-veggie snacks that is personalized to your palate, schedule needs, dietary goals and personal budget. Then — give yourself the freedom to switch it up. You might make changes based on the season, travel plans, new discoveries and changes in diet. When you revert to raw you have a wide range of choices. Not sure how to begin? Try the following raw vegetable snacks to get started.
7 SNACKS YOU CAN EAT ANYTIME – ANYWHERE!
1. Spinach – Spinach is a light, healthy and nutritious snack that can truly be eaten anytime and anywhere. One leaf at a time you’re going to love it. If you’re used to chewing a piece of spearmint gum while driving, chew this instead. Do you grab for a package of high-fat high-salt chips? Individual fresh spinach leafs can substitute with a flavorful crisp crunch. The more you indulge the more you’ll be loading on nutrients. It’s easy clean up, can be easily packed and in a dash is a quick healthy snack that will tide you over till lunch or dinner. It will satisfy your taste buds and won’t weigh your waist down because it’s a God-given fat free low carb/calorie snack.
It’s high in Vitamin K, which helps keep calcium in the bones and out of the arteries (particularly a big plus for women). It helps fight the onset of osteoporosis, prevents hardening of the artery walls, high blood pressure, acne, wrinkles (another plus) helps prevent cancer and a host of other illnesses. Bottom line it’s more than just a healthy snack, it’s good tasting and good for you.
2. Sweet Potato Wedges – This may very well be the dieters delight. Why? They have high fiber content, low calorie content and high water content. That is an excellent formula for healthy weight loss. These are simple, easy to prepare, can be eaten anywhere and are highly nutritious. If you were stranded on a deserted island and all you had were raw potatoes to eat, you would live healthily and lose unnecessary weight until help arrived. High Fiber means it helps to keep you full longer so you won’t overeat or snack on “no-no” snacks later. Low calorie, means if you’re watching your weight, you can rest assured that you’re not packing on the pounds. It wont take many of these to satisfy your appetite. High Water means, they contain lots of water and since your body is 75% water, like fiber it will keep you fuller longer and this prevents you from overeating and snacking on other stuff after snacking on them.
3. Green and Red Seedless Grapes mix – What you get with this snack: Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. These are easy to prepare, readily available year round and are easy clean-up. Mix a batch and have it stored in the refrigerator, they will last longer and be fresher. They are a good snack packed with nutrients. The variety adds color, zest and eye appeal – making it a fun snack. The benefits (besides good taste) is that you do your waistline a huge favor. They have zero grams of fat and they are low calorie. Secondly, just like Spinach, they are packed with Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Fiber like the raw sweet potato wedges. They also pack one powerful ingredient that is sure to get anyone’s attention – Resveratrol. Resveratrol fights damaged skin cells that cause premature aging by rejuvenating cells and helps extend a person’s life. Just call it…one of God’s Fountain of Youth ingredients.
4. Raw almonds and Raw walnuts – These nuts are rich in healthy fats, fiber, plant sterols and many vitamins and minerals. Nuts pack a powerful nutritional punch.
They are always good on the go, easy on the waistline, easy to prepare, and delicious. Eating a bran or corn muffin, which has complex carbs and are hard to breakdown in the body will pack on weight. Raw almonds and raw walnuts are a better and healthier choice. They stave off diabetes and help lower cardiovascular disease. Snacking on nuts is a tasty way to eat healthy and smart. The fiber in them will make you feel full longer and keep you from eating something you may regret later.
5. Green or Fruit Smoothies in a Jar – These are easy, nutrient packed and loaded with fiber and minerals. You can easily make a green or fruit smoothie or two in the morning. Store them in sealed jars or in a to go cup with a strong lid. You can keep it in a mini cooler and store it in your car or office. They are better than fast food smoothies, which tend to be sugary and don’t benefit your waistline.
6. Cayenne-peppered shell-less Sunflower seeds – Want a little Spice in your life? Sprinkle just a pinch of Cayenne pepper on some sunflower seeds and it’s sure to get the blood percolating and the taste buds too. Here are two benefits.
First, they are sunflower seeds, full of Omega 3 (good for the heart and skin), packed with protein (5 grams per 1 ounce serving) and iron rich 11% (per 1 ounce serving). With 3 grams of dietary fiber and being low in carbohydrates (about 6 grams) they are heart healthy. This is a good in-between quick snack when you need a little protein to keep feeding your muscles after or before a workout.
Second, they are Cayenne-peppered. This benefit (aside from adding flavor) stimulates blood flow and makes you feel hot. So hot that for the minutes that you are eating the seeds you are burning body fat and increasing your blood flow so that your muscles and body get more nutrients. This helps improve your digestive system and it also curbs your appetite. That’s a potent snack! Give it a shot, this is one snack that is sure to make you feel alive.
7. Cherry Tomatoes – This small nutrient packed tomato is packed with juice and gives your mouth enjoyment on many levels. Having this as a snack is sure to benefit you in several ways. They are packed with Vitamin A (good for the eyes and skin) and Vitamin B-6 (strengthens immune system, supports cognitive development and brain function). Also according to research, cherry tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of certain diseases caused by cellular damage. A 2000 article published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal notes that lycopene can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Cherry tomatoes can have more far-reaching health benefits as well. The compounds in cherry tomatoes might offer protection against osteoporosis, skin damage caused by ultraviolet light and brain disorders. Veggies like cherry tomatoes are full of phytochemicals such as flavonoids and that means every time you taste the rainbow you are helping to prevent health risks.
These seven raw snacks that you can eat anytime, anywhere are just few ideas to keep you on your toes and to keep fitness foremost without having to focus on it. Just pack and go and you’re on your way to a healthier, leaner, wiser you.
Why is all this better than the bran muffin and the ice cream? In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without form and on the sixth day God created man and he created a diet for man:
It was better in the beginning and it still is an ideal way to eat. Revert to raw. Get snacking. Then build your own current custom menu of your seven favorite raw snacks. Change it with time to keep it fun, interesting and tasty. Help your friends too to find seven raw snacks to eat anytime and anywhere.
This article appears in the April/May 2013 issue of Faith & Fitness Magazine. Get more healthy diet advice, recipes and food fun in our Nutrition Department.
