More than half of all adults living in the United States are looking to shed some pounds, Gallup reports. If you're one of these dieters, you may already have your meals covered. However, snack time can be a difficult time for dieters as the snack foods that seem to be most convenient -- cookies, pretzels and chips -- aren't generally ideal for weight loss. However, there are a handful of tasty snack foods that are perfect for dieters.
Almonds
Almonds, which are high in calories and fat, have many dieters running to other lower-calorie options. However, despite what the label may say, almonds may actually aid in your weight loss efforts. In a September 2008 study published in the "Journal of Nutrition," Richard D. Mattes of Purdue University found that people who eat nuts tend to be at a healthier body weight than those who don't.
However, that doesn't mean that you can eat unlimited amounts of almonds and watch your belly deflate. Mattes has found that the benefits of almonds appear to max out at after you eat around 300 calories of these nuts per day. Almonds that are raw and without added salt or oil are ideal for weight loss.
Baby Carrots
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, advises those aiming for weight loss to include an abundance of nutrient-rich fresh vegetables into their diet. Because vegetables are low in calories, they can fill you up without contributing to weight gain.
Unlike vegetables such as eggplant and sweet potatoes, baby carrots are portable, convenient and require no utensils. In fact, because they are generally prewashed, they don't require rinsing to remove pesticides. Baby carrots also contain significant amounts of dietary fiber that may help curb appetite and boost weight loss results, the CDC adds.
Apples
An apple a day may keep the dietitian and the doctor away. While fresh fruits are a dieting mainstay, it appears that apples may have particular benefit to would-be weight losers, according to research by Conceicao de Oliveira of the State University of Rio de Janeiro and published in the March 2003 issue of "Nutrition." This study gave a group of overweight women a calorie-restricted diet including oats or apples. The group that ate three apples or pears per day lost significantly more weight over 12 weeks compared to the oat group.
References
- Gallup: Close to 6 in 10 Americans Want to Lose Weight
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Impact of Peanuts and Tree Nuts on Body Weight and Healthy Weight Loss in Adults; Richard D. Mattes, et al; 2008
- CDC: Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help People to Manage Their Weight?
- "Nutrition"; Weight Loss Associated With a Daily Intake of Three Apples or Three Pears Among Overweight Women; Maria Conceicao de Oliveira, et al; 2003
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