Slow Carb Snacks: Healthy Food for That Midday Hunger

Slow carb snacks are your ideal choice when hunger strikes in between meals. One mistake that people make is only focusing on the main meals when thinking of healthy foods. They prepare healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, yet fail to do the same for their snacks. So, they continue to indulge in those unhealthy pie slices or cakes to fill their cravings, thinking that they are allowed to do that since they had vegetables for lunch. The thing is, that healthy lunch you had will be for nothing once you have gulped down that cake with a glass of soda. Hence, it is important to give those snacks some healthy thought as well if you want to reap the full benefits of a slow carb diet.

Slow Digesting Carb Snacks

Here are some snack ideas that have a low glycemic index (GI).

Hard-boiled Eggs – You can also go for poached eggs, but hard-boiled ones are much easier to pack and bring with you at work or in school Eggs are high in protein and are low glycemic snacks. You can have one or two in the afternoon and that is enough to fill you up.

Hummus – You can enjoy this with vegetable slices or with whole grain pita bread. In fact, aside from being a snack, this can be your lunch too. Just add some slices of lean meat with it and you are good to go.

Peanut Butter – Yes, you can simply enjoy a few tablespoons of peanut butter for snacks. Make sure, though, that you choose the natural variety because it does not contain sugar, just salt and peanuts. If eating peanut butter alone does not go well with your palate, you can still have a couple of slices of whole grain bread with it or a small serving of natural oats.

Non-Starchy Snacks – Processed junk foods are not allowed in the slow carb diet, but this does not mean that you cannot have your fill of chips. The solution is to find the healthy kind, like those dehydrated vegetables such as kale chips and red bell peppers. They do not contain any preservatives and you can make them yourself if you have a dehydrator at home, so they are very safe to include in your slow carb diet snacks.

Meat Cuts – Meats are not just for main meals, you can also enjoy them for snacks, particularly the deli meats. Do remember to read the label, though, since some brand use sugar on their meats. Choose those with zero sugar, like spiced meat slices. Again, if eating pure meat is not your thing, then consider wrapping it in some lettuce or whole grain soft tortillas for an instant fajitas.

Low GI Dessert Recipes – There are plenty of low glycemic index desserts that you can make at home and pack some over for your snacks. This can range from muffins, pies, and many others.

Fresh Fruits – Some fruits are high in sugar, so you have to be extra careful with this. Some that you can enjoy are cherries, grapefruits, apples, watermelons, and pears. Fruits should actually be limited in a slow carb diet, but as long as you choose those with low GI, then you can enjoy them once in a while.

Nuts and Seeds – There are so many to choose from, like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and many others.

Tips When You are on a Slow Carb Diet

Getting into the slow carb diet is not easy, especially on the onset and if you are used to eating the standard American diet. Here are some tips that will help you stick to this healthy diet. First, eat enough. Do not starve yourself. Remember that you are eating healthy foods, so there really is no reason to watch your calorie count. As long as you are eating slow digesting carbs, then eat until your hunger is satiated. Second, find new favorite foods that are allowed in the slow carb diet. It could be a crab dish or a chicken dish. It may even be a fancy vegetable salad. If you have something to look forward to then staying on this diet will be more enjoyable. Third, remove banned foods from your pantry. It will be harder to resist temptation if you have those sweet treats displayed in your cupboard or right there greeting you once you open the fridge. Get rid of them and make sure that only slow carb foods are present in your home. Finally, enjoy during your cheat day. This is the best thing about the slow carb diet, it lets you eat what you want for a day every week. Therefore, do not worry if you are not able to eat your favorite cake during the week. The excitement that builds up as you approach your cheat day knowing that you can finally have it will just make that slice of cake extra special. So, enjoy that day and plan it well.

As you can see, being on a slow carb diet does not require you to starve yourself. There are plenty of slow carb snacks and meals to choose from and you can enjoy them in generous servings until your hunger is satisfied.