Healthy Food Snacks To Lose Weight

When trying to lose weight, you may consider nixing snacks from your diet. But reaching for the right snacks can actually aid in your weight loss plan. Wholesome nibbles can help you stay satisfied between meals, and healthy snacks for weight loss will make you less likely to feel ravenous and more likely to stick to your goals.

A healthy snack can also quell cravings and ward off feelings of deprivation. The only catch: It’s not always obvious which snacks are actually satisfying and nutritious. We all know a nutrient-deficient bag of chips or processed, sugary sweets may not be the most beneficial bite, so what exactly counts as healthy when it comes to a snack?

Generally, you want to aim for foods with around 200 to 250 calories, around 10 g of protein, and 5 g of fiber, recommends Sarah Pflugradt, R.D., nutrition expert and author of You Get One Body. “That amount of calories is enough to fill you up without sending you over your daily budget.” Plus, the combo of protein and fiber will help you stay fueled until your next meal.

Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss, According To Dietitians

Meet the experts: Mascha Davis, M.P.H., R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Eat Your Vitamins; Jessica Zinn, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., C.D.C.E.S., registered dietitian at Nutrition Energy; Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D., registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine; Sarah Pflugradt, R.D., nutrition expert and author of You Get One Body; and Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., founder and director of Real Nutrition.

Sustainable weight loss comes from establishing foundational behavior changes that you can maintain over the long term, ” says Mascha Davis, M.P.H., R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Eat Your Vitamins. “For snacking, I recommend choosing options that are filled with high fiber carbs, lean protein, and heart healthy fats.” She suggests consuming five to seven servings of fruits and veggies to increase your fiber intake, and eating three meals with two to three snacks per day. Some research shows that eating more of your meals earlier in the day can keep blood sugar levels stable and help you lose weight.

Healthy snacks for weight loss are not limited to greens and veggies—they can be delicious too, which will better help your weight goals in the long run. “Consider personal preferences, ” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D., registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine. “Studies show that when you take this important factor into your dietary pattern, you are more likely to stick with it. For example, if you don’t like kale, don’t include it—instead, find another green or cruciferous veggie that you love.”

Macro Friendly Snack Ideas For Weight Loss

The good news is that there are a ton of healthy snacks that will curb cravings, satisfy your hunger, and aid in weight loss—all while tasting delicious. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are the tastiest, expert-backed healthy snacks. We promise you’ll actually want to eat them!

Swap your regular potato chips for an upgraded version with kale. The green veggie is loaded with protein, fiber, and antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Kale can aid in weight loss too, a study published in Biomedical Reports found. Results showed that kale helped lower plasma glucose levels, which has been linked with weight loss. Try this kale chip recipe for a vegan-friendly, cheesy twist!

In addition to being packed with protein (around 25 g per cup), full-fat cottage cheese is rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid that’s tied to fat loss. A study published in

Best Snack Foods For Weight Loss (+ For Simply Feeling Good!)

Found that a higher intake of protein and dairy products like cottage cheese helped overweight and obese premenopausal women lose fat and gain lean muscle. Top with some fresh raspberries for a mega dose of fiber—you’ll get a whopping 8 g from 1 cup.

Eating a 3/4-cup of legumes, like chickpeas, can help you lose nearly 1 lb in six weeks without making any other changes to your diet, suggests a March 2016 review in

Instead of eating them plain, try roasting your chickpeas with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and a generous sprinkle of cumin or smoked paprika for a boost of flavor. Yum!

Healthy Snacks To Stay Full And Lose Weight

Found that overweight and obese women who ate 1 1/2 ounces of nuts as part of a low-calorie diet for three months lost more weight than women who didn’t eat nuts. Try pairing 1/4-cup almonds with 1/2-cup pomegranate seeds. The water and the fiber in the fruit will fill you up even more—not to mention satisfy your sweet tooth, says Pflugradt.

Hummus is just another tasty way to get a daily helping of beans, so dig in. As for your dipper? Go for raw veggies like celery and carrots—they’re rich in carotenoids, a type of polyphenol that research suggests could help improve your insulin sensitivity as well as lower your waist circumference.

The small-but-mighty seeds aren’t just loaded with protein and fiber. “They’re great for weight loss, ” says nutrition expert Amy Shapiro, R.D.. “They hold up to 10 times their weight in water, so they expand in your stomach and help keep you full.” Try them in a sweet chia pudding with unsweetened almond milk, chopped walnuts, and dried blueberries. This recipe makes enough for two snacks, Shapiro says. Or if you’re following a plant-based diet, try this vegan coconut chia pudding.

Healthy Snack Ideas Under 100 Calories

Apples are one of the best fruits for weight loss snacking, thanks to their high-fiber content, according to a 2015 study in

. Add a shot of protein and healthy fats with 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter, and you’ll be set, Pflugradt says. Just be sure to read the labels on peanut butter jars carefully and check for added sugar and oils.

Just like savory hummus, the sweeter variety is made with protein- and fiber-rich chickpeas that’ll fill you up for the long haul. Make your own dessert hummus by pureeing chickpeas with vanilla extract, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a touch of maple syrup for some natural sweetness. You can also pick one up at the store as a dip for fresh strawberries. Just be sure to avoid those with high amounts of added sugar–and stick to the serving size.

Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss

Good news, guac lovers: Avocado eaters weigh less and have lower body mass indexes compared to people who steer clear of the green fruit, according to a sponsored study from

. Avocados can also improve gut health because of their unsaturated fatty acid content, which prompt greater microbial diversity and produce metabolites that support your gut bacteria. Enjoy the dip with jicama instead of the usual chips. A 1-cup serving of the sliced veggie has 6 g of belly-filling fiber and just 46 calories. Try this go-to guac recipe for your next hosting gig!

Smoothies are a satisfying way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies, making it a great snack for weight loss. “I like a 50/50 combo of veggies and fruit with a protein add-in and a fiber-add-in, ” Pflugradt says. Think a handful each of baby spinach and frozen mango with 3/4-cup low-fat milk and 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds, or a handful each of kale and frozen berries with 3/4-cup unsweetened almond milk and 1 tbsp almond butter. If you’re following a plant-based diet, try this vegan-friendly green pineapple coconut smoothie recipe!

Healthy Snack Ideas To Lose Weight, Get An Energy Boost, And End Cravings

Swap your usual fruit or granola add-in for roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, chopped olives, or sliced cherry tomatoes, Pflugradt recommends. You’ll still get around 23 g of appetite-squashing protein per cup of yogurt. Not to mention a shot of probiotics, which could help you shed up to 4% of your body fat in just six weeks, research suggests. Find our list of the best yogurt brands here.

Sweet potatoes aren’t just for lunch or dinner. The sweet flavor paired with 6 g of fiber make the orange tubers a satisfying snack, too. Add a protein-rich topper for more staying power—like a tablespoon of almond butter or tahini.

Why limit something as good as oatmeal to just breakfast? Research shows that oats are rich in beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber that boosts satiety. Pflugradt recommends cooking 1/4-cup rolled or steel-cut oats with 1/2-cup 2% milk for a filling combo of fiber and protein. Top with your favorite fruit plus a sprinkle of cinnamon—studies suggest that the spice could help promote stable blood-sugar levels.

Healthy Bedtime Snacks For Weight Loss And Better Sleep

One medium pear packs nearly 6 g of fiber. Enjoy it with an ounce of Parmesan cheese, which is protein-packed and makes for a yummy sweet-salty combo, says Shapiro.

The protein in eggs has been shown to keep hunger hormones at bay and promote weight loss. But if you’re bored with snacking on hard-boiled ones, try a classic spinach and tomato combo. Even better, shake things up by making bite-sized frittatas in a mini muffin tin.

Your favorite sushi appetizer is a great snack to reach for if you’re watching your weight. Help yourself to a cup of the soybean pods, Shapiro recommends. You’ll get a whopping 18 g of protein and 8 g of fiber, which will help keep you going until your next meal.

Healthy Diet Snacks To Lose Weight

, pistachios can be consumed as a portion-controlled snack for individuals restricting