Imagine this. You find yourself feeling hungry at 4pm while sitting at your work desk. Unfortunately, there are no healthy snack options around you. So you grab biscuits or leftover birthday cake sitting in your office pantry.
Does this sound like a familiar scenario to you? Unfortunately, a lot of the snacks we eat may seem insignificant but they often contain just as many calories as our lunch.
Below are seven healthy snacks that you can eat at your work desk.
1. Natural peanut butter on apple
Slab two tablespoons of peanut butter on slices of apples. Peanuts are high in monounsaturated fat, which is good for you, and it helps your body burn fat and builds muscles.
Peanut butter is also a good additional source of protein. Apples are high in fibre and antioxidants. Two tablespoons of peanut butter on a medium sized apple is approximately 200 calories.
Pros: High in good fats, fibre and low in sugar
2. 70% dark chocolate
Chocolate lovers will rejoice hearing this – dark chocolate is actually good for us. Cocoa butter, extracted from the cacao bean contains a lot of healthy fats and antioxidants.
In fact, when it comes to antioxidant capacity, cacao (chocolates’ main ingredient) has higher antioxidant capacity than the “superfruits ” acai , pomegranate, cranberry and blueberry.
Various studies have consistently proven that dark chocolate consumption is related to lower blood pressure readings. Dark chocolate can also reduce iron deficiency.
100 grams of cooked spinach has 3.5 mg of iron. 100 grams of dark chocolate made of 70-85% cocoa solids has more than three times that amount.
The problem is that chocolate health benefits are usually offset by its high sugar content. So choose dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% or higher. 3 squares of 70% dark chocolate has approximately 185 calories.
Pros: High in healthy fats, antioxidants, iron and lowers blood pressure.
3. Hard boiled eggs with salt (or soy sauce)
Eggs are one of the best afternoon snacks you can eat as its good fats and high protein content keeps you full for long. Eggs are also loaded with vitamins and minerals while containing all 9 essential amino acids.
This snack is extremely convenient to prepare as you can cook the eggs while getting ready in the morning or even the night before.
Put the eggs in a small pot; cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Next, bring water to a boil and keep the pot covered. Let it stand for 13 minutes then drain the water and run the eggs under cold water.
Lastly, add salt or soy sauce to flavour the eggs before eating. Three medium-size eggs are approximately 195 calories. Remember to eat the yolks, they contain most of the nutrients!
Pros: Keeps you full for long and high in protein and good fats.
4. Fresh cut fruits
It is a common sight for us Malaysians to see peddlers selling fresh cut fruits by the side of the road. Fresh fruits are refreshing to eat, especially on a sweltering, hot day.
If you had to choose between fresh fruits or fruit juice, always choose fresh fruits as they contain more fibre . So pick up a packet of fresh fruits while you are out on your lunch break. If possible, try choosing fruits that are less sweet as they contain less sugar.
Water guava (jambu air) is a good option as it’s low in calories and sugar while being a good source of vitamins. Three pieces of water guavas are approximately 150 calories.
Pros: Refreshing, full of fibre and vitamins.
5. Roasted almonds with sea salt
Did you know that almonds are a good source of protein? Almonds provide approximately 30 grams of protein per cup serving, which is more protein provided by 5 medium-sized eggs!
Clinical studies have also revealed that almonds have a favourable effect on reducing “bad” cholesterol levels.
In one study, a researcher tested 27 men and women with high cholesterol over three months. People who ate about a handful of almonds a day lowered their bad LDL cholesterol by 4.4%.
Almonds are also among the lowest-calorie nuts while providing more calcium than most other nuts. There are approximately 160 calories in one handful of almonds.
You can buy raw or roasted almonds from most major supermarkets in Malaysia. To roast almonds yourself, preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking tray and toast – until it turns golden – for about 15 minutes. Let the nuts cool, mix some olive oil and a little sea salt in a bowl and toss it until the almonds are well coated.
Pros: High in protein and lowers “bad” cholesterol levels.
6. Plain yogurt topped with honey and nuts
If you have a sweet tooth, try having plain yogurt topped with honey and nuts. Plain yogurts (especially thick Greek yogurt) are high in calcium, contain lots of probiotics (good bacteria that will help you fight bad bacteria in your gut) and a decent amount of protein.
Taking probiotics is essential for our bodies, especially when digestive disorders happen. This can happen after an infection or after taking antibiotics. One cup of yogurt with 1 tablespoon of honey is approximately 200 calories.
Pros: Contains probiotics, high in calcium and protein.
7. Glass of hot milk topped with cinnamon powder
Hot milk sprinkled with cinnamon powder is a comforting beverage to drink, especially on a rainy day. A glass of milk delivers a healthy hit of protein to refuel your muscles and to keep you full.
Cinnamon not only adds a dimension of complexity to your milk, turning it into a gourmet drink but it delivers ample health benefits. It aids in weight loss by helping the body to process carbohydrates more efficiently.
It also helps to lower blood sugar levels – beneficial for the both the heart and those at risk of type 2 diabetes. One glass of milk is approximately 160 calories.
Pros: Keeps you full, aids in weight loss, and lowers blood sugar levels.
* Let's transform Malaysia into a healthier nation.
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