Improve your snacking!!

Snack time!!  There are so many choices!  Chips, cookies, pastries!  We all know these type of snacks but what are healthier choices and why should we bother?  There are only so many hours in a day.  If we fill up with empty calories we are not leaving room for the foods that are the most beneficial to us.  Here are some of the snack foods that are a great addition to your diet.

Pumpkin seeds

We all know that pumpkins are very nutritious but many don't realize that the seeds are too!  The are a rich source of protein.  Only 7ounces of pumpkin seeds have 3mg of iron.  They are high in vitamin E, vitamin B, and they are high in fiber.  Hear is a recipe you can make this fall while making your jack o' lanterns:

Remove seeds, wash seeds, dry seeds, and baked seeds on a greased cookie sheet in an oven (250 deg.) for one hour.  You can add salt if desired.  Eat with the shells on! That is where the fiber is plus it would be too much work to shell them all!

Walnuts

Nuts in general are a great snack.  Most are high in protein, magnesium, phosphorus, and Zinc.  Studies show that women who eat more than 5 oz of nuts per week lowered their risk of heart attack by 35 percent.  Remember that the leading cause of death of women is not breast cancer but heart disease!
The nut that is considered the most nutritious is the walnut.  This is due to the fact it contains more omega fatty acids than any other nut.  Walnuts are great to snack on and I have to say that are pretty good in cookies and brownies.  Of course this doesn't mean that cookies and brownies with walnuts are the best snack.  Just a handful of walnuts is best but we all have to enjoy desserts sometime!

Blueberries

What is being called the superfood?  Blueberries and for good reason!  They are loaded with antioxidants!  Plus, they are pretty tasty!  Some health professionals also think that they can help prevent urinary track infections.  They are high in fiber, vitamin c, and iron.My favorite way of eating them is by adding them to my cereal everyday!  The tastiest and most nutritious are the wild blueberries!!

Prunes

The last snack I want to mention is the prune.  We usually think prunes as the older man and woman's friend but they are a great addition to anyone's diet.  They of course are high in fiber, but they also are high in potassium, iron, and antioxidants!  I recently read a new study that found that women who eat a high fiber diet are less likely to develop breast cancer!  The best prunes are the individually wrapped ones sold by sunsweet prunes!  They are moist and tasty!  Remember when adding fiber to your diet to do it gradually or your stomach will go crazy!   You can train your stomach to tolerate more as time goes on. 

Well, I hoped this helped you out.  Don't forget that all fruits and vegetables are good snacks!  There is still nothing like a crisp red apple.  Oh, and by the way, dark chocolate isconsidered healthy!!!!