Ensuring that your loved one eats nutritious food is a great way to keep them healthy and strong. While a lot of emphasis is placed on the main meals, many Americans tend to give little thought to the snacks that they take. This can be bad for a variety of reasons, principally because snacking is where we tend to consume unhealthy food. For example, people will snack on cookies, candy, and cake, all of which can eventually lead to health problems. What makes people prone to eating unhealthy snacks is the fact that we tend to consume fewer snacks relative to the other things we eat. This may create a false sense of security as people reason that a little sugar will not hurt. The problem with this argument is that the few snack items that we take, every day, eventually add up and create health complications for us.
If you are wondering about the best snacks for your loved one, we have come up with a list of items to consider.
Nuts
The great thing about nuts is that they have very little sugar content and are rich in healthy nutrients. Nuts are rich in fiber which makes digestion easier and helps to improve gut health. Scientists have long known that gut health plays a major role in other body functions such as immunity. Other nutrients that your loved one will get from nuts include manganese, as well as Vitamin E. Nuts are also great when it comes to giving your loved one a feeling of being full. This helps to reduce food intake and thus can help with weight loss.
Fruits
Fruits make excellent snacks as they are also rich in many nutrients. For example, citric fruits contain large amounts of Vitamin C which are great for skin health as well as improving immunity. The wide variety of fruits means that you can easily keep things spiced up. The fiber in the fruits aids in digestion as well. Lastly, fruits can be served in many different ways that also help to add to the variety. For example, they can be consumed directly, like fruit salads, or blended to make smoothies. When serving fruits to your loved ones, ensure that you clean them properly to avoid any risk of food poisoning.
Yogurt
Yogurt is one of those snacks that can also be consumed in many different ways, thus adding variety to your loved one’s diet. Yogurt is great for gut health and will keep your loved one protected from opportunistic infections. Yogurt is also rich in proteins and calcium, all necessary for strong bones. For your loved one, this is especially important as this is the time they are likely to suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis which makes their bones very brittle. Another great thing about yogurt is that it can be served with many other snacks. For example, you can add chunks of fruit into the yogurt to spice up the taste and its nutritional value.
When it comes to healthy snacks for your loved one, variety is the name of the game. There are numerous resources online that can help you with ideas on what snacks to serve. You should also keep the portions within healthy proportions.
