Weight Loss Help and Tips

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 09:24 AM PST

Snacks can play a big role in our everyday diet. Snacks are that something you want in between meals, which need to be easy to eat, relatively small but enough to fill the hunger gap, or that little something which will keep your mouth occupied.

However whether you are on a weight loss diet or not, finding what to snack on can be a hard job. The usual commercial choices tend to be high in sugar, high in calories and high in fat and often not a 'healthy' choice.

In general it is recommended to avoid too much snacking and aim for higher in protein lower in sugar snacks. Such snacks would keep you full for longer and can also be better for blood sugar control. You can also read our previous post 13 healthy snack ideas for weight loss for more details. In today's post we have selected the best 100 calorie snacks for weight loss.

10 Best 100 Calorie Snacks

1. Fruit.

orange Fruit are low in calories and full of nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals. They can and make an easy, light and healthy snack and they can always satisfy a sugar craving. The calorific values vary for each fruit with bananas being slightly calorie heavy.

Majority of fruit are also rich in fibre and high in water content both of which tend to make you feel full.

Tip: Keep one or two fruit of your choice in your bag so you can have them at reach wherever you are and whenever you want a snack.

Tip: Alternatively you can make a small fruit salad. Fruit salad panes are usually sold in most food stores or cafes so it can be an option if you are on the go. A 200gr fruit salad is approximately 82 calories; values can vary depending on the fruit used.

Here are the nutritional values for some fruit most commonly consumed.

Fruit	Sugars	Fibre	Calories
Apple (medium)	14.4 g	13.3 g	72 kcal
Banana (medium)	14.43 g	3.1 g	105 kcal
Pear (medium)	16.27 g	5.1 g	96 kcal
Peaches (medium)	8.22 g	1.5 g	38 kcal
Orange (medium)	12.25 g	3.1 g	62 kcal

2. Yogurt

yogurt Yogurts are protein based snacks which can make you feel fuller for longer. In addition, yogurts can provide a flexible taste option as they be eaten plain or with toppings.

Tip: It is always recommended to aim for natural plain yogurts and add fruit or nuts rather than the pre-prepared fruit yogurts which tend to be anything else but yogurt.

Tip: Also avoid adding loads of sugar or syrups as it can increase the calories and the sugar content.

3. Smoothies

Smoothies are another flexible option. With smoothies you can create your own combination to please your own taste, you can use fruit and vegetables, yogurt, cream, ice whey-protein powder, and the list can go on. It is not as easy to make if you are on the go or in work.

Tip: Unless you can have a freshly prepared smoothie is best to avoid the ones sold in the shelves. Pre-bottled ones tend to be full of sugar, taste enhancers and preservatives. Plus by the time you drink it most of the vitamins would have disappeared.

Tip: Avoid adding syrups and sugars. You could add a small teaspoon of natural honey or just a sweeter fruit.

4. Punnet of blueberries or any berries of your choice

Some studies actually suggest that blueberries and in general colourful fruit (and veg.) can actually have a protective role against obesity related diseases. Satisfy the craving and help your body regulate blood sugar, and conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Tip: Be aware that by eating berries alone will not do miracles. A healthy balanced diet as well will be a better winner.

5. Avocado

avocado Avocados are one of my favourite snacks. They can be eaten alone or in combination with other toppings. Calorific values of the snack will vary according to what you add on it. It can be easy and you could have an avocado on the go. I like to pre-cut an avocado in half and then take it in small container in my bag and eat it with a spoon when I want a snack.

Tip: Add honey and nuts for a sweet option or lemon juice for a savoury option.

6. Rye crackers with ham or cheese

With approximately 32kcal each rye crackers can be a great snack. Add a slice of ham or a slice of cheese to add more taste. Again this is an easy and flexible snack option. In addition rye crackers tend to have high fibre content and therefore they can make you feel full for longer.

Tip: Have a little bag with 2-3 rye crackers in your bag. I often spend a lot of time driving in my job and they are handy to just munch on.

7. Tin of tuna

tuna Now this tends to be a very popular snack with body builders. This is an easy and high in protein snack.

Tip: You can add ¼ of finely chopped red onion, a pinch of finely chopped parsley and a small squeeze of lemon juice for taste.

8. Olives and feta cheese

olives-and-feta This is a simple, low calorie and nutritious snack option. There is a huge variety of olives and you can also buy them infused with herbs and spices so it can suit a lot of tastes. Feta cheese is a protein based option and combined with the olives makes a classic Mediterranean snack. If cheese is not to your liking you could have just the olives.

Tip: A lot of food stores or cafe places sell pre-prepared olive containers. Just be aware of the oil they could contain. Avoid the ones in vegetable oils; also olive oil can be healthy but if you eat loads of it then you could just be increasing the calorific values. Just be aware.

9. Parma ham and melon

melon A Mediterranean favourite snack. There are different variations in the Mediterranean region. Italians tend to like Parma ham with melon and in Greece they tend to serve feta cheese with melon. Either way, it can be a refreshing and slightly higher in protein snack. If you combine 2 slices of Parma ham with 6 slices of melon you have a snack of approximately 80 kcal.

Mellon is also high in water content and as mentioned above it promotes satiety.

10. Baked beans

beans Baked beans are a British favourite snack. A small tin of approximately 150g contains 122 kcal. Slightly over budget but it is not a big deal. Values can vary depending on the size of the can and the brand. If I'm stuck for choices I tend to open a small tin however, I know that many people don't like them cold. Depending on your taste they can be an easy and on the go snack or it may need a bit of preparation.