Whether you're heading to Bangkok or Boston, finding healthy food on the road can be a challenge. Packing healthy snacks to take on vacation will ensure that you can eat healthfully between meals no matter where you are. Bringing healthy, tasty, and portable snacks with you on your next trip can ensure that you always have healthy food on hand.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit has a multitude if important health benefits. Fruit is bursting with essential nutrients like vitamin D, dietary fiber and slow-digesting carbohydrates. Dark colored fruits contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than bland colored fruits, Harvard University reports. A diet rich in antioxidants can reduce the risk of certain cancers. Apples, oranges and bananas are healthy antioxidant-rich fruits that are durable and can be taken with you in your suitcase or day pack. You can also chop a fruit salad at home and pack it in a cooler. Consider snacking on no sugar added fruit chips as an alternative to potato chips.
Nuts
Some people strictly limit their intakes of nuts or avoid eating nuts altogether as they are rich in dietary fat. However, the fat found in nuts is primarily the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety. Additionally, nuts are high in dietary fiber and vitamin E which can reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and promote overall heart health, MayoClinic.com reports. When choosing nuts for your vacation, opt for nuts that haven't been processed with added fat, sugar or sodium, as these additives detract from the health benefits. Healthy nuts include Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, cashews and almonds. In addition to raw nuts, nuts butters like peanut butter and almond butter are tasty dips for cut fruits and veggies.
Whole Grains
Eating whole grains regularly can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the September 2002 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" states. In this study investigating the effects of diet on type 2 diabetes risk in over 1000 men, the researchers found that people that ate whole grains regularly had a 30 percent lower type 2 diabetes risk when compared to those that seldom ate whole grains. Pack one-serving bags of healthy whole grain cereals -- and add in raisins or other dried fruits of your choice. Other portable whole grains snacks include granola bars, whole wheat tortilla wraps and brown rice cakes -- all of which taste great when dipped into sweet low-sugar apple sauce or savory, natural nut butter.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are a healthy protein source that you can eat just about anywhere your trip takes you. Egg yolks are rich in a compound known as lutein, which can help reduce your risk of macular degeneration. Additionally, the lutein found in eggs is better absorbed by your body than lutein from other sources, the USDA reports.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits: Get Plenty Every Day
- MayoClinic.com; Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health; Feb. 4, 2011
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Whole-grain intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in men; T Fung et al.; September 2002
- USDA: Absorbing News About Eggs and Lutein
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