Four Actionable Ways to Make Easy and Healthy Snack Swaps

Want to find an easier way to stick to your diet goals? Try these four easy and healthy ways to swap out your regular snacks and begin making positive changes to your usual routine today.

1.  Replace Sugary Snacks with Nuts and Seeds

Having a high sugar intake is linked to an increased risk of various serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even cancer. 

The problem is that sugar is sneakily hidden in so many foods and drinks, places you’d never even think about like salad dressings, salsas and dips.     

Too much refined sugar consumption is straight up harmful to your health.     It promotes the production of proinflammatory compounds and contributes to the formation of AGEs - harmful advanced glycation end-products. 

Nuts and Seeds on the other hand, offer a variety of nutrients including dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and protein. 

Nuts and seeds contain heart-healthy fats - predominantly monounsaturated fats which help to reduce total and LDL cholesterol, providing good HDL cholesterol levels. 

Replace cookies, candy bars, and sugary treats with raw almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle over salads and yogurts and add to smoothies. 

Remember to still control your portions of nuts and seeds to balance your calorie intake.

2. Choose Dark Chocolate Over Milk Chocolate 

Dark chocolate has a higher cocoa content compared to milk chocolate, and offers significant health benefits. Dark chocolate is richer in flavonoids, which boost your antioxidant intake. Milk chocolate has lower levels of flavonoids due to its reduced cocoa content and higher sugar and milk content.

Studies on dark chocolate also show that it is a mood enhancer, and has protective properties against age-related cognitive decline. Dark chocolate has been shown to activate specific regions of the brain related to reducing stress and boosting mood. 

Milk chocolate with its higher sugar content can contribute to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

3. Choose Berries Over Sweetened, Processed Snacks

Try reaching for a handful of blueberries, strawberries or raspberries instead of your usual candy or even healthy seeming sweetened fruit snacks. 

Berries contain high fiber and natural sugar which is absorbed much more slowly in your body compared to the refined sugar found in sweetened snacks. The natural sugars in fruit provide the body with a much steadier energy source, and the fiber in fruit is also wonderful for your gut. Berries are also rich in flavonoids, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants. 

Why not try swapping any sweet snacks for a bowl of berries, or a berry smoothie? Frozen berries are just as good as fresh ones and can be easily kept on hand to tackle any sweet cravings. 

4. Swap Sugary Sodas for Green or Herbal Teas.

When you drink a lot of sugary drinks they can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, causing short boosts of energy followed by a fast crash, which can lead to all sorts of health issues in your body.

Swapping these drinks for organic green tea, matcha tea, or herbal teas is a much healthier way to go.  Green tea contains high levels of antioxidant polyphenols including catechins and chlorogenic acids, known for being protective of your brain health, as well as contributing to overall enhanced health.    

There are so many different medicinal herbal teas that work wonders for your health in a natural and healing way. Try nettle, chamomile, peppermint, or hibiscus and add a teaspoon of honey for a sweeter taste.