Eating good-quality, low-carbohydrate snacks every 3 to 4 hours ensure high energy and a quick metabolism. However, with the huge variety of snack food available, it can be confusing to make healthy choices. The best idea is to stick to foods that you can prepare yourself as much as possible and only occasionally rely on pre-packaged provisions. A typical low-carbohydrate snack provides no more than 20 percent of its calories from carbohydrates. A snack should ideally contain around 200 total calories.
Vegetables
Crunchy salad vegetables are superior low-carb snacks, especially when combined with a few tablespoons of hummus or a dash hot sauce. A 1/2-cup serving of cucumber slices with the skin on provides just 2g of carbohydrates. Carrots, celery, tomatoes, spinach, peppers and mushrooms all have less than 5g of carbohydrates and limited calories in a 1/2-cup serving. Skip starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.
Fruit
Most fruits are high in carbohydrates because they contain a lot of natural sugars. But easily portable 1/2-cup servings of berries make great snacks and are especially tasty sprinkled over Greek yogurt. Strawberries, raspberries, cranberries and blackberries all have around 6g of carbohydrates and 60 calories in a 1/2-cup serving. Steer clear of most other fruits on low-carbohydrate diets.
Milk and Yogurt
Milk and yogurt can make good low-carbohydrate snacks if you read labels carefully. For example, soymilk is lower in carbohydrates than cow's milk, with a 1-cup serving of plain, unsweetened soy providing 90 calories and 8g of carbs compared to 100 calories and 13g of carbohydrates in cow's milk. Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates than other kinds of yogurt, usually containing 6g of carbohydrates and 90 calories per serving compared to 20g of carbohydrates and 160 calories per serving of other yogurts.
Cheese
Single-serving string cheese is an excellent low carbohydrate snack. A 1-oz. serving typically provides 80 calories and 1g of carbohydrates. Low-fat cottage cheese is another intelligent low-carb choice, usually providing around 170 calories, 6g of carbohydrates and almost 25 percent of your daily recommended allowance of protein. Beware of the fruit added options, which pack extra carbs due to the added sugar.
Meat and Eggs
Individual deli slices and beef jerky are both great low-carbohydrate snack options. Beef jerky usually contains about 2g of carbohydrates and 80 calories per serving. Deer or bison jerky may contain even fewer carbohydrates. Deli slices contain less than 1g of carbohydrates per 70-calorie serving. Meat slices wrapped in lettuce are an easy snack choice. Hard-boiled or deviled eggs contain just 1g of carbohydrates and 70 calories per a one-egg serving.
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