Five Gluten Free Foods to Eat When You Get the Munchies



Snacking is something we all do and it isn't unhealthy unless you choose unhealthy foods. It can be a great way to keep your energy going all day long. My recommendation is to snack on healthy foods through the day every 2 to 3 hours. I notice when I don't do this, I usually become very tired at some point in the afternoon and hungry. I also don't seem to bounce back as well from work-outs.

  

One. Edamame

 

This is the real powerhouse. It's a great, healthy and yummy snack for on the go or at home. My daughter loves these and so do I.

Edamame, or soy beans, have 8 grams of protein, only 90 calories, 10 % of daily iron requirement, and 3 grams of fiber. This is a must have for the pantry of every gluten free home. The Cruncha Ma Me brand below is freeze dried which gives them a fresher taste than soy nuts.

 

 

 



Two. Snapea Crisps

 

Snapea Crisps are a great tasty snack plain or with hummus or salsa. They have 4 grams of protein per serving, 7% your daily iron requirement, 3 grams of fiber, and only 80 milligrams of sodium (3% daily limit). They have 6 grams of fat, which is much less than many snack foods - chocolate, potato chips, cookies, etc.

 

3. Beanitos

 

Beanitos are a creative way to get some healthy beans and protein into your diet. There are a few different styles, and they literally are beans turned into a chip. The Black Bean and Better Cheddar ones has 4 grams of protein per serving and 5 grams of fiber.

Four.  Peanut Butter and Fruit

Now if you're like me, this is a favored go-to snack. Peanut butter with a piece of fruit like a banana, apple, or pear. If you eat dairy, mozzarella cheese can be a great addition. One thing to watch for is the trans fats, or hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils, that may be lurking in your peanut butter. Trans fats can be in foods labeled on the front as having "0 Grams of Trans Fats," because the USDA decided if they had .5 grams of it, they could round down.

You may be thinking, "Who cares? It's just a small amount." Well, first of all if you eat out a lot or eat a lot of processed foods, you may be consuming a lot overall. Plus, even small amounts, over a long period of time could lead to diabetes, weight gain, heart disease, stroke, and many other diseases. There is no safe level of artificial trans fat consumption, according to New York City, who put a ban on trans fats out in restaurants. Trans fats are not found in nature and are instead made in a factory to make prevent the fats from spoiling and to cause them to hold together more. Think Crisco. Yuck!

 

Five. Kind Bars

 

The Kind Bars gluten and dairy free Almond, Walnut, Macadamia With Peanuts and Protein bar is the best gluten free power bar I've found.

 

It does have 7 grams of honey, but if you're not trying to cut out all sugar it's a great source of protein that goes down easily and will help you recover after a workout if you eat a little before and after your workout. It's a little pricey, but Vitacost.com has them at discount.