16. Snack Bar – Raw Almonds
Do you have a snack bar at your place of work? Whether it’s at work or stopping by the gas station, typical snack bar options are anything but healthy.
Usually consisting of candy bars, gluten-rich chips, or even a ‘protein bar’ with a similar nutritional profile to a Snickers, these snacks won’t keep your hunger at bay for even an hour – let alone until your next meal.
Keep a stash of raw almonds (or another nut of your choice) at your desk instead.
For the same, or even less, calories as your usual snack bar treat, you’ll get a full serving of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, protein, and fiber.
A handful of nuts will keep you full and satisfied until your next meal without any unnecessary sugars or salt. Allergic to nuts? Give sunflower or pumpkin seeds a try – they have the same benefits!
17. Cheese and Crackers – Apple and Nut Butters
This savory snack could make you reminisce for early childhood days or want to open up a bottle of wine, which isn’t entirely bad for you. The combination of cheese and crackers isn’t exactly full of protein or fiber though – two nutrients most people have trouble getting enough of in their diet.
Give apples and nut butters a try instead. Apples are considered one of the healthiest foods a person can eat: rich in fiber and vitamin C. Nut butters are full of healthy fats, and you can make your own or buy a variety at the store depending on your preferences. Almond, cashew, peanut, and macadamia nut butters are all very simple to make and will keep you full for hours. Allergic to nuts? Give sunflower butter or tahini a try!
18. Potato Chips – Kale Chips
Potatoes aren’t inherently unhealthy. They’re an effective form of almost pure carbohydrate energy ideal for endurance athletes. When sliced into thin pieces and fried, on the other hand, potatoes become loaded with trans fat. This is the type of fat that elevates bad cholesterol and contributes to clogged arteries, leading to an increased risk of heart disease.
However, the need to munch on something crunchy is completely understandable. Luckily, kale chips are a healthy alternative you can use to satisfy the craving for something crunchy. Kale is very high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Cooking them at home allows you to customize the flavors too. Kale itself is very mild in flavor, so use a sprinkling of mineral-rich sea salt for a salt craving, nutritional yeast to make it taste a bit cheesy, or red pepper for a little heat.
19. White Potato – Sweet Potato
As previously mentioned, potatoes, when not fried, are actually a fairly healthy starchy vegetable if enjoyed in moderation. Nutritionally speaking, however, white potatoes have nothing on sweet potatoes! As their name suggests, sweet potatoes do have a natural sweetness to them – but not so sweet that they don’t taste awesome when baked with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The high fiber content in sweet potatoes prevents it from being a high glycemic index food, allowing for a slow release of sustained energy.
Sweet potatoes get their color from beta-carotene, a pigment also found in carrots and other brightly-colored fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene is antioxidant that gets converted into vitamin A in the human body. Also known as retinol, vitamin A helps keep your eyes healthy. Vitamins B, C, D, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium are also found in sweet potatoes.
20. Alfredo Sauce – Vegan Pesto
Alfredo sauce is delicious – and possibly one of the most calorie dense foods ever created. With a base of cream, butter, and cheese, this dairy-heavy sauce is trouble for anyone with lactose tolerance issues, as well as being super high in sodium.
Substitute the Alfredo sauce with a heart-healthy pesto using extra-virgin olive oil as a base. Add in fresh basil leaves, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, raw pine nuts, garlic, pepper, sea salt, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and/or red pepper. Blend in a food processor and serve! Play around with the amounts of herbs and spices to suit the dish and/or your individual tastes.
For an even healthier dinner, replace your pasta with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. Your homemade pesto is also a great dipping sauce for fresh vegetables, so give that a try, too!