Snacks Worthy of the Office

Looking for a way to stay focused and productive throughout the day? There are a lot of things you can turn to in your time of need as the blood sugar levels drop off and your breakfast or lunch power runs out. But what we naturally feel drawn to in these times of need are usually what we don’t need. The potato chips or candy bars and soda pop will dump us quickly feeling slower and more useless then before we had them.  Unfortunately those sugars and saturated fats are just going to hurt us. Even though they may taste good going down they don’t give you the boost you need. Not to mention the negative effects on blood pressure, weight gain and a whole host of other health issues these snacks can bring. But don’t despair! There are heroes in the snacking industry. Just waiting to save you from that lull at work and bring you back to your best!

The key to successful snacks is to remember that they are SNACKS not TREATS. A candy bar or soda pop is a treat not a snack. The other thing to remember is that the portion of a snack is not the same as a meal. You don’t need a lot of food to satisfy that need you’re feeling and boost your blood sugar up where it should be. This is about what you need not what you think you want.

So what are good snacks? Let’s cover some of the headliners that will give you the most return on your snacking investment.

• Nuts: all kinds of nuts are really good snacks but the all time champion is the almond. With the least amount of fat for the most amount of protein there is none better.
• Plain Yogurt: it may be a slight adjustment but plain yogurt is the best for you and won’t be packed with sugar like the
  flavored kind is. Also consider Greek yogurt which contains more protein but again go plain and regular.
• Whole Grains: these can be found in a variety of ways. Some of the best are a slice of whole grain bread with some honey drizzled on top, whole grain granola bars, and oats with berries and a little water.
• Raw Vegetables: a bag of baby carrots or some celery chunks and a small container of peanut butter to dip in are great
  choices.
• Dark Chocolate: a chunk of the dark side can be a good source of antioxidants.