Healthy Plant-Based Snacking
When it comes to snacking, people are divided into thinking about whether or not a certain food is good or bad for them. For some, snacking is something to avoid since many processed snack foods have high-fat, high-sodium, and sugar-laden content. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. Snacking can actually be healthy!
Having one or two snacks is necessary to maintain your energy all throughout the day. It is also a must for people who need to keep their sugar levels on even keel. As long as you eat snacks for a good reason and you choose the right food, it should be good for you.
Unfortunately, a lot of people turn to snacks for other reasons than those stated above. Some people do it simply because they are tempted by the sight of food. Others may snack to help manage stress.
Whether you are snacking for added energy or some other reason, snacking on healthy treats should be considered. Products, like our Bearitos veggie puffs and other plant-based options, will help control your cravings for unhealthy snack options. It will also help increase your intake of fiber, which helps you feel full longer.
What does plant-based mean?
When you say plant-based, you are essentially talking about food that comes only from plants. Plant-based snack foods generally don’t use any artificial ingredients and animal-based ingredients of any sort. This means, they are healthier and aren’t as processed as many other types of snacks.
There are many plant products that have found their way into today’s snack food choices. For example, our Bearitos veggie puffs are made entirely of plant-based ingredients that include corn, carrots, parsley, and sweet potato. There are no animal-derivatives used, such as eggs or dairy. Also, these veggie puffs are baked instead of fried, making them a healthier alternative to fried chips and other high-sodium, high-sugar, and high-fat snack foods out there.
There are many plant-based snack foods on the market for you to choose from. All you need to do is check their package to confirm the list of ingredients.
To ensure that you are indeed getting healthy snacks for yourself and your kids, here are some of the plant food groups that you should opt for:
Legumes – You can get a good amount of protein from beans, like lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, and others. You can also get it from soybean-based items, such as tofu (which can be made into tofu-chips) and other animal-based meat alternatives, such as seitan and tempeh.
Seeds and nuts – Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds are good for your health, as they are low in carbohydrates. They are also used in their flour form to create baked items, which are good for people who are gluten intolerant.
Healthy fats – You can get good fats from plant-based ingredients, like avocado oil, olive oil, and the like. Avocado can be eaten fresh atop a salad, or as guacamole with your healthy plant-based chips!
Other things to check for when looking at snack food labels include fruits, vegetables, and healthy starches. Make sure that there are no artificial ingredients, additives, and animal-derived ingredients to ensure healthy snacking.
How do you incorporate healthy snacks into a healthy whole-foods, plant-based diet?
Going plant-based, both in your main meals and snacks, will have a hugely positive impact on your health. You simply need to do a little research on what plants, vegetables, and fruits can replace the animal-based things you used to eat. For example, instead of scrambled eggs, you can go with scrambled tofu that is mixed with plant-based cheese and mushrooms.
Stock up on plant-focused food options, so you don’t turn to unhealthy food when you’re feeling peckish.
How can you make eating healthy as easy as possible?
One of the problems some people have when shifting to a plant-based diet is when they eat out or when they don’t have time to prepare their own food. When this happens, they aren’t taking advantage of how healthy they could be, and are generally feasting on plant-based junk food! One solution is to buy from a meal delivery service that guarantees their products are all plant-based. Another is to find an online store that sells healthy plant-based products, like our Bearitos veggie puffs.
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