For many, the word "snack" conjures up images of cookies, crackers and candy. These options may keep you going between meals, but they are anything but healthy. Fortunately, snack time doesn't have to be unhealthy. A number of healthy choices are out there for you to stay satisfied between meals.
Fruits and Vegetables
Portable vegetables and fruits such as baby carrots and oranges are a healthy and convenient way to get important nutrients, including dietary fiber and antioxidants. Consuming fruits and vegetables on a regular basis can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, reports Tulane University School of Public Health's Lydia A. Bazzano. In a paper published in the April 2008 issue of "Diabetes Care," Bazzano found that women that ate at least three servings of fruits and veggies per day had significantly lower type 2 diabetes rates when compared with those that seldom ate fresh produce.
Nuts
Nuts such as Brazil nuts and cashews are convenient snacks that pack a powerful nutritional punch, rich in dietary protein, which can help curb appetite. Nuts are also rich in such heart healthy nutrients as vitamin E and dietary fiber, and eating nuts can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and certain cancers, reports Joan Sabaté of Loma Linda University. In research published in the May 2009 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," Sabaté concluded that eating five or more servings of nuts can cut cardiovascular disease risk in half. However, because nuts are high in calories and fat, limit your total intake.
Dairy
Fat-free dairy products such as cottage cheese and Greek yogurt provide your body with important nutrients like calcium and B vitamins, and they are, of course, great sources of protein for satiety. People that regularly consume dairy have lower incidences of chronic disease such as cancer, hypertension and osteoporosis, the National Dairy Council reports.
Whole Grains
Choosing whole grains over refined grains can help satiate you between meals, MayoClinic.com, because complex carbohydrates in whole grains are digested slower than refined grains --- combating hunger between meals. Whole grain snacks such as whole wheat crackers and fibrous cereal are important sources of minerals, vitamins and complex carbohydrates. Choose whole grain snacks with limited amounts of added salt or fat.
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