Friday, January 6, 2012

Healthy snacks in a jiffy

Eating out, eating junk, eating at odd hours and skipping meals due to lack of time are the major reasons for posing health risks amongst people today. And let's face it, working people do not have the luxury of time to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare a proper meal for themselves.

Period
So what are you hardworking people who are constantly on the move supposed to do? We tell you how you both women and men too, can prepare simple nutritious snacks that one can prepare in jiffy and most importantly they are very healthy.

Smoothies
Fruit smoothies are not only healthy and delicious but are quite filling and are a good alternative to having a snack. Just toss some fruits like apples, bananas, chikoo, strawberries, etc. in your blender. Add some milk. You need to just a little bit of sugar because fruits are already sweet. But if you must, its better to add some honey and give the ingredients of your smoothie a quick spin. Having smoothies will provide you fibre, vitamins, minerals that are important for the optimum functioning of the body. Also, drinking a fruit smoothie will give you a boost of energy.

Corn Salad
Corn is available all throughout the year, at grocery stores. Corn is fun to eat because it tastes sweet and its texture is crunchy. It is a good source of vitamin B especially thiamine and niacin. Yellow corn is a good source of beta carotene, which generates vitamin A in the body. In a bowl, add a handful of corn nibblets, add some chopped olives, tomatoes, capsicum and a little onion. Add the juice of half a lime, a pinch of sugar and salt. Toss the salad well. You can also add a drizzle of olive oil or some french vinaigrette dressing.

Baked beans sandwich
This is one of the easiest sandwiches to prepare. Toast two slices of whole wheat or multi-grain bread. Scoop out some spoonfuls of baked beans from the canned variety that is very easily available in the market. Spread it over your toast and voila! You are ready to eat it. Beans are an excellent source of protein and whole wheat bread provides healthy carbohydrates and fibre that will satisfy your hunger for hours. Also, baked beans contain tomatoes that contain lycopene, and anti-oxidant which help in fighting against cancerous cell formation in the body.

Fruit and yogurt
Roughly chop up some fruits, remember the more the merrier. However, if you have only one variety of fruit available in your kitchen, don't fret as this recipe will still taste yummy nonetheless. In a bowl, mix a cup of yogurt with a little bit of honey. Add your chopped fruits and mix well. Sprinkle a handful of dried fruits like almonds, cashews, walnuts or even dried figs, apricots, or dates over it. This snack will provide you ample of energy that will last for hours. Yogurt is a good source of calcium that is necessary for the strengthening of bones. Also, it contains useful bacteria that aids in better digestion and boosts the body's immunity.

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