SNACKS”- This word brings smile on snacks lovers face. Snack is any food that is eaten in between meals.
Snacks are important as they satisfy your hunger cravings in between meals. Usually snacks are consumed in lesser amount than meals, but they are often more fattening and unhealthy. Most of the snacks that we consume such as burgers, sandwiches, chips, wafers, sausages etc are high in carbs. These carbs get stored in the body as fat and lead to weight gain. They pose several other adverse effects on health. Thus, consuming healthy and nutritious snacks is as important as consuming healthy meals.
Recommended Daily Amount of Carb and Protien:
Both carbohydrates and protein are vital for a healthy body. If you are watching your weight, it is advisable to consume snacks that are low in carbs but high in protein. The question often arises as to how much protein and carbohydrates is needed in a day. The recommended daily amount of protein is 46 grams and 56 grams for women and men respectively while that of carbs is 130 grams. Before proceeding to discuss the high carb low protein snacks, let us have a look at the function of carbohydrates and protein.
Functions of Carbohydrate and Protein:
Carbohydrate: Carbohydrate is an essential nutrient as it has some vital functions to perform. Its major function is to provide energy. It is a primary source of energy, especially for the nervous system and brain. This energy is needed by us to perform daily activities. Carbohydrates after digestion is converted into glucose for required energy and rest is stored as fat. It prevents protein from being used as an energy source. It also helps in digestion and elimination of wastes and toxins from the body.
Pepperoni is a salami which has 0 % carbohydrate and approx 9 grams protein in it. All you need to do is bake pepperoni slices until they get crispy and spray some black pepper or salt on them. You can also add some cheese. Turkey pepperoni chips are an easy, healthy and a quick snack.
2. Fruit and Nut Yogurt:
It is a simple sweet-sour snack. Take a cup of yogurt and add few slices of cranberry for sweetness and some roasted almonds in it. Your healthy and tasty snack is ready. Yogurt contains 0% carb and 20 % protein while almonds contain 42% protein and 7 % carbs. Overall, this snack has got high protein and low carbohydrate content.
This is a quick snack. Just take a turkey slice, spread cheese on it and roll. The result-you get a yummy snack that is high in protein and low in carb. Both cheese and turkey have high protein content and low carb. Cheese also has some other important nutrients like zinc, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B2 and B12 and vitamin A while the nutrients of turkey include vitamin B, zinc, phosphorus, potassium etc. You can add lettuce also if you want. It also has 0% of carb and 2 % protein.
Frittata is a nutritious snack whose key ingredient is egg, which as we all know, is a rich protein source with zero carb. You can also add low carb vegetables, cheese and meat in it. Generally egg frittata has approx 17 grams protein and 3 grams carb in it, although the amount may vary depending upon the veggies or meat you add.
Hard boiled eggs are one of the most popular and loving snacks. They are very simple and quick to make. They have 26 % protein, 0% carb and are rich in vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A and other essential minerals which make it very nutritious.
6. Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious and can be made into a healthy snack. Just roast them and sprinkle some salt. Then you can bake them with butter or cheese. They are a good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc etc. It also has good amount of vitamin E which, being an antioxidant, helps eliminate free radicals from the body.
Tuna is a finfish which is not only a healthy dinner or lunch, but can also be a nutritious snack. It has a very high protein content of approx 30% daily value and zero carb. It is also quite versatile. You can add or subtract ingredients according to your will. It is a simple, healthy snack. You can add celery, chopped eggs, onion etc. This snack is a good source of protein and has a low carb content.
8. Grilled Chicken Breast:
For chicken lovers, this snack is a treat. Grilled Chicken breast is a complete protein, which means it has all essential amino acids. You can add cheese on grilled chicken or wrap it in a lettuce. Both of them do not have high carb, but provide good amount of protein.
Pudding is a yummy dessert and snack. You can prepare a simple high protein, low carb pudding for healthy snacking. You can use cottage cheese for this pudding as cottage cheese curds make pudding smooth and buttery textured. Add few berry slices for sweetness and your low carb (8 gm) and high protein (28 gm) pudding snack is ready.
Protein: Protein is considered as building blocks of muscles. It is essential for proper cellular activities as it helps repair damaged cells. Protein works as a catalyst in biochemical reactions. It transports body material throughout body like haemoglobin transport oxygen, works as an energy source and boosts immune system by forming antibodies which prevent diseases.
10 Low Carb and High Protein Snacks:
People who are on a low carbohydrate diet should take high protein food. This is because carbohydrate is a primary source of energy and when you go on a low carb diet your energy level goes down and you might face many other issues. When enough carb is not available, protein becomes the primary source of energy. So it is advisable to consume high protein snacks to get the required energy. Protein also helps in building and maintaining muscles. Given below are some high protein and low carb snacks that are worth trying.
1. Turkey Pepperoni Chips:
Pepperoni is a salami which has 0 % carbohydrate and approx 9 grams protein in it. All you need to do is bake pepperoni slices until they get crispy and spray some black pepper or salt on them. You can also add some cheese. Turkey pepperoni chips are an easy, healthy and a quick snack.
2. Fruit and Nut Yogurt:
It is a simple sweet-sour snack. Take a cup of yogurt and add few slices of cranberry for sweetness and some roasted almonds in it. Your healthy and tasty snack is ready. Yogurt contains 0% carb and 20 % protein while almonds contain 42% protein and 7 % carbs. Overall, this snack has got high protein and low carbohydrate content.
3. Turkey Roll Snacks:
This is a quick snack. Just take a turkey slice, spread cheese on it and roll. The result-you get a yummy snack that is high in protein and low in carb. Both cheese and turkey have high protein content and low carb. Cheese also has some other important nutrients like zinc, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B2 and B12 and vitamin A while the nutrients of turkey include vitamin B, zinc, phosphorus, potassium etc. You can add lettuce also if you want. It also has 0% of carb and 2 % protein.
4. Egg Frittata:
Frittata is a nutritious snack whose key ingredient is egg, which as we all know, is a rich protein source with zero carb. You can also add low carb vegetables, cheese and meat in it. Generally egg frittata has approx 17 grams protein and 3 grams carb in it, although the amount may vary depending upon the veggies or meat you add.
5. Hard Boiled Eggs:
Hard boiled eggs are one of the most popular and loving snacks. They are very simple and quick to make. They have 26 % protein, 0% carb and are rich in vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A and other essential minerals which make it very nutritious.
6. Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious and can be made into a healthy snack. Just roast them and sprinkle some salt. Then you can bake them with butter or cheese. They are a good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc etc. It also has good amount of vitamin E which, being an antioxidant, helps eliminate free radicals from the body.
7. Tuna Salad:
Tuna is a finfish which is not only a healthy dinner or lunch, but can also be a nutritious snack. It has a very high protein content of approx 30% daily value and zero carb. It is also quite versatile. You can add or subtract ingredients according to your will. It is a simple, healthy snack. You can add celery, chopped eggs, onion etc. This snack is a good source of protein and has a low carb content.
8. Grilled Chicken Breast:
For chicken lovers, this snack is a treat. Grilled Chicken breast is a complete protein, which means it has all essential amino acids. You can add cheese on grilled chicken or wrap it in a lettuce. Both of them do not have high carb, but provide good amount of protein.
9. Cottage Cheese and Berry Pudding:
Pudding is a yummy dessert and snack. You can prepare a simple high protein, low carb pudding for healthy snacking. You can use cottage cheese for this pudding as cottage cheese curds make pudding smooth and buttery textured. Add few berry slices for sweetness and your low carb (8 gm) and high protein (28 gm) pudding snack is ready.
10. Lettuce Wrap:
Wraps are a delicious snack but most of them are loaded with carbs. You can prepare a high protein wrap by using hard boiled eggs and cottage cheese as filling of this wrap mainly since they both have high protein and low carb content. You can add other low carb ingredients for a twist. Sprinkle some black pepper on it for a spicy taste. Besides being a high protein, low carb wrap it also has essential vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy body.
source:http://www.healthbeckon.com/
