13 Healthy Fruit & Nut Snacks To Munch On While You Work
Everybody at some point will snack on some food during their working day. People do so for many reasons, such as to stave off hunger before lunch, or perhaps as a means of dealing with anxiety or stress. Others may snack because they are bored at work and haven’t got anything else to do other than sitting at their workstations!
Unfortunately, many people, especially those with desk jobs, will snack on foods that are bad for them. These are usually snacks that are high in salt, sugar, and fat. As you can imagine, if you have a diet that mainly consists of those three items, it won’t do your health any good and can often lead to long-term medical conditions.
One school of thought might be to suggest forcing one’s self to not eat any snacks between breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. However, it’s actually a good idea to eat little and often rather than having just three large meals a day. The trouble is, if you snack on unhealthy foods, anything healthy you do eat during your main meals won’t counteract the unhealthy snacks!
So, with that in mind, it makes sense to snack on foods that are healthy for your body, delicious, and won’t make you pile on the pounds! Here are 13 examples of healthy snacks that you can use to replace those chocolates and potato chips you are probably munching on during your day at work:
1. Dried Banana Chips
It’s no secret that many people enjoy snacking on potato chips each day while they are at work. They are a simple and quick to consume food, and they don’t need to get heated up or cooled down before they can be enjoyed. However, they are usually loaded with salt and even chemicals that will do your cardiovascular system no good!
One healthy alternative is banana chips. Dried bananas are packed with vitamins B6 and C, plus that all-important element, potassium. Banana chips can help you to fight off illnesses and even colon cancer, and they are even great to eat after a workout session at the gym.
2. Dried Cherry Tomatoes
Some people don’t think that tomatoes can get considered a snack. They might assume that they only work well in a salad or as an ingredient in a cooked meal. But, one interesting way to enjoy tomatoes by themselves is in a dried format.
Dried cherry tomatoes have a little sugar to enhance their flavor, but they contain zero fat, salt, or cholesterol.
3. Goji Berries
Grown in the Himalayas, Goji berries are considered by most people as one of nature’s super snacks! Bursting with a plethora of natural antioxidants and compounds, they help to keep your immune system in tip-top condition. It’s also worth bearing in mind that they taste absolutely delicious!
Plus, if you want to enjoy your youthful looks for longer, goji berries contain zinc which is useful for keeping your skin soft and resilient.
4. Dried Kiwi Slices
Kiwi is an exotic fruit that is primarily grown in New Zealand and is a firm favorite with many folks. Of course, like all fruits, fresh kiwi must be eaten soon after purchase before it spoils. The good news is that the dried variety can be stored and enjoyed for longer.
Dried kiwi slices boast a sweet yet exotic flavor and are packed with digestion-enhancing enzymes and fiber.
5. Figs
One of the world’s most ancient fruits is figs. Dating back to biblical times, figs taste sweet and juicy when they are ripe. Full of antioxidants, figs also contain plenty of dietary fiber, something that is known to help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women by as much as 34%. Figs contain no fat or cholesterol, and only have a trace amount of sodium.
6. Roasted Peanuts
Although they contain fat, peanuts are one of the healthiest nut snacks you could eat at work each day. They are a tasty snack and contain plenty of vitamin E, useful for keeping your skin feeling healthy and fresh. It’s possible to get roasted peanuts without salt so that you can keep your calories down during the day.
7. Dried Corn
When many people think of healthy snacks, they consider the “usual suspects” like apples, oranges, and so forth. But, one type of food that is both filling and healthy for your body is dried corn!
It’s a snack that contains plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, it helps to lower cholesterol absorption in your body, meaning you won’t pile on the pounds so easily. For an even tastier take on this snack, be sure to try some dried chili corn!
8. Oranges
One of nature’s most satisfying fruits is, without a doubt, the orange. When you eat one, you will enjoy the juicy and delicious taste that it offers. They are easy to peel, eat, and provide plenty of energy - perfect for a long day at the office.
Aside from lowering cholesterol, oranges help to fight cancer, kidney disease, and can even boost your heart’s health. Plus, if you spend all day in front of a computer screen, oranges can aid in your eye health by preventing macular degeneration.
9. Dried Apple Rings
If you’re not a huge fan of oranges (or the potential for messy orange juice on your desk), dried apple rings might be a better alternative for you! They are lightweight and chewy, plus they are something you can enjoy at any time of the day, wherever you are at work (even in the middle of a meeting, if you wish)!
Dried apple rings are high in dietary fiber, vitamins A, and C, plus they contain plenty of potassium.
10. Pecans
Another popular nut snack that you can enjoy at work without spiking your calorie levels up is pecans. They offer a delicious yet buttery taste and are native to some parts of America. Rich in oleic acid and phenolic antioxidants, they also contain a wealth of minerals like manganese, potassium, and calcium.
Studies have also shown that the antiproliferative properties of ellagic acid contained in pecans can help protect the body from cancer.
11. Dried Cantaloupe
Native to some parts of North America and Europe, cantaloupe is a type of melon that has a firm, orange and sweet flesh. The dried variety is an enjoyable fruit that is easy to consume as a quick snack when taking micro-breaks away from work for a couple of minutes or so.
Dried cantaloupes are bursting with antioxidants and can help reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. It also contains beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A. So if you want to eat a snack that also keeps your skin looking feeling smooth and looking youthful, be sure to graze on some dried cantaloupes!
12. Cashew Nuts
With an unmistakable look and a buttery, sweet, and salty taste, cashew nuts are a tropical treat that you should consider enjoying at work! With an abundant supply of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, cashews are often considered as a diabetes-busting treat. What’s more, they are also good at keeping your red blood cells healthy.
13. Lychee
Another tropical fruit and one that hails from China, lychee also has a sweet scent when you peel away the rind! As with many other fruits, lychee contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that are good for your body. Most notably, lychee has many antiviral properties and can prevent the spread or outbreak of herpes simplex and coxsackie viruses.