Salty, crunchy snacks such as potato chips taste good, but they aren't very good for you. High in fat, saturated fat and calories, these kinds of snacks -- if eaten regularly -- can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer. Fortunately, you don't have to make a trip to the snack food aisle when the munchies hit. There are many healthy foods that are good alternatives to salty snacks.
Homemade Popcorn
Popcorn is a whole grain, high-fiber, low-calorie food -- the perfect choice when you're craving something crunchy. In fact, MayoClinic.com recommends snacking on popcorn to keep hunger under control. Though microwave popcorn tends to be high in salt, air-popping your own corn lets you control how much, if any, salt is added. Healthy alternatives to salt include herb mixes, a sprinkle of hot sauce and cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast flakes.
Carrots
Carrots are another alternative to salty snacks. Carrots are high in beta-carotene, which your body converts to vision-boosting vitamin A. Carrots are also high in fiber, which helps maintain your digestive health. Slice standard carrots into sticks, munch on baby carrots or snack on presliced "carrot chips," available in the produce section of your grocery store. For extra flavor, dip them in fat-free dressing mixed with spicy salsa or protein-packed, low-oil chickpea hummus.
Nuts
Nuts such as almonds and cashews are crunchy. If purchased without added salt, they're a filling, nutritious alternative to salty snacks. MayoClinic.com reports these nuts are good sources of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Since they are high in protein, which the body digests slowly, nuts keep you satisfied. Eat nuts plain or toss them with herbs or other seasonings. A quick spritz of water helps flavorings stick to nuts.
Grape Tomatoes
Although they're not crunchy like chips, small, tart grape tomatoes are a craving-zapping snack. Rich in fiber and vitamin C, tomatoes also contain high levels of glutamates. These naturally occurring savory compounds, also found in onions and mushrooms, give tomatoes a satisfying richness. Also, according to "The Doctors Book of Food Remedies," strongly flavored foods, such as sweet-tart tomatoes, seem to overwhelm the taste buds, curbing carvings and helping to prevent overeating by giving you a greater sense of satisfaction.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Snacks, How They Fit Into a Healthy Diet; May 2010
- University of Illinois Extension: Carrots
- "The Doctors Book of Food Remedies;" Selene Yeager; 2006
- MayoClinic.com; Nuts and Your Heart; February 2011
- "The End of Overeating, Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite"; David A Kessler, MD; 2006
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