JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
Ever look at the nutrition label of a candy bar, pastry or your favorite chips and think "Geez, that's a lot of calories for a small piece?"
These quick "to-go" candy snack items could range from 200 to 600 calories depending on the name brand. These calories are best described as empty calories or calories with little to no nutritional value. They are absent of vital vitamins and minerals that support your muscles, circulatory system and brain.
Many times you find these items located in the middle aisles of a grocery store, or tempting you at the registers as you wait in line to purchase what you really came to the store to buy.
Making smart nutrition choices is a necessary part of everyone's daily life. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests one or two snacks that are less than 200 calories per day for the average adult. Look to the perimeter aisles of the grocery store to find fruits, vegetables, and nuts that make excellent healthy snacks that are low on calories. Listed below are several 100-calorie items that may
surprise you:
- One half cantaloupe
- Two one-ounce low-fat cheddar cheese cubes
- One cup of strawberries and three tablespoons of fat-free whipped cream
- 1 1/4 ounce of turkey jerky
- One cup of baby carrots with two tablespoons of hummus
- About one-half cup of frozen yogurt
- 34 pieces of whole grain penne (dry)
- Two egg whites with one slice of whole wheat toast
- Three cups of air-popped popcorn
- Eight shrimp and four tablespoons of cocktail sauce
- Sliced tomato with a sprinkle of feta cheese and olive oil
- One half cup of shelled edamame
If you are looking for further nutrition information, nutrition program and classes are offered at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory and Surgical Center, Outpatient Nutrition Clinic or to speak with a registered dietician/technician for further questions, you can contact us at 292-7578.
Reference: Top 28 Best Healthy Snacks by Lisa Drayer, R.D.