Protein snacks: 11 ideas for healthy hunger-breaking snacks
When the afternoon peckish takes over, we are often tempted by unhealthy foods like chocolate, chips and the like. Carbohydrate-rich snacks cause our blood sugar levels to go up quickly, but they do go down just as quickly after a few hours. This is absolutely to be avoided in order not to fall into the vortex of the glycemic peak. What to do then? Before continuing, discover 5 super protein foods in the video below.
Protein-rich snacks are much better. Because the protein contained in them enters the bloodstream much more slowly, keeping the insulin level stable. This type of snacking also makes us full for a long time with positive effects, for those who play sports, and are looking for the right snack after a strenuous workout.
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Convenient protein snacks to eat around
1 - Mixed nuts
Walnuts are arguably the most classic of healthy afternoon snacks. They are naturally rich in proteins, fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6 and also contain numerous important micronutrients. And best of all, these little treats are great to take with you.
Instead of buying a ready-made nut mix at the grocery store, why not make your own? Use as many different types as possible - peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews and almonds are best. If you want, you can also mix the nuts or spice the nuts with a little almond butter: to do this, just mix the nuts with 1-2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter in a bowl; put in the fridge or in the freezer for an hour.
2 - Peanut butter and banana sandwich
This snack not only satisfies your sweet tooth in a healthy way, but also provides your muscles with enough protein: spread the crispbread with natural peanut butter and add banana pieces. Alternatively, you can omit the crispbread and make small slices of peanut butter banana. Cut the banana into small slices and put some peanut butter on each slice. If you want, you can add coconut flakes or chocolate chips on top. freezer for half an hour.
3 - Hard-boiled eggs
The perfect protein snack for on the go and breaks: hard-boiled eggs. They are full of proteins, vitamins and minerals and are rightfully one of the healthiest foods. Our tip: why not cook enough eggs for the whole week on Sunday evenings? This will save you time and you will always have a small snack ready for when you are on the go.
4 - Vegetable sticks with hummus
Do vegetables alone taste too boring? Then you should try the veggie sticks and homemade hummus sauce. When combined, these foods are a powerful snack because hummus is full of healthy nutrients. For the hummus sauce, you need 200g of chickpeas, 5 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 lemon, 1 clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons of tahini and a pinch of salt. Blend all the ingredients until creamy. Carrots, celery or cucumbers go great with this. Instead of hummus you can also use ricotta, which contains about 15 g of protein.
5 - Low-fat cheese and fruit
Low-fat Quark-type cheese is the perfect food for any diet, because it contains almost no calories, but a lot of calcium and protein. A 250-gram serving has about 30g of protein - which keeps you full for a long time. For a little one. snack in between, just mix some low-fat quark with various fruits. The combination with banana or red berries is especially tasty. For those who like sweet: just add some honey - and here's a great fitness snack on the go.
6 - Roasted chickpeas with turmeric
Roasted chickpeas are a "great alternative to peanuts, potato chips, etc. One serving contains about seven grams of fiber."
Our recipe tip: chickpeas with turmeric! Turmeric promotes collagen formation and rapid regeneration after sports. For 4 servings you need about 500 grams of chickpeas, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Dry the chickpeas with a paper towel - the drier they are, the crispier they will be. Now mix with the oil, turmeric, salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. Make sure to turn the chickpeas at least twice during this time. Packaged in small containers Hermetic, they keep up to a week.
7 - Homemade protein bars
Protein bars are probably the easiest way to provide the body with protein between meals and on the go. But the small supermarket fitness snacks usually don't contain protein, but a lot of flavor enhancers, sweeteners, and other artificial ingredients.
Thankfully, healthy protein bars are easy to make at home.
Here's what you need:
- 120 grams of oats
- 125 grams of peanut or almond butter
- 100 grams of honey
- 50 grams of protein powder of your choice
- A pinch of salt
- If desired: various dried fruits such as blueberries or raisins.
Preparation: Mix all the ingredients together, spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten with a rolling pin. Now put in the freezer for a few hours until the mixture is frozen and can be easily cut. Homemade bars can be stored in the freezer for a good month.
8 - Edamame
Small, green and full of power: edamame is considered one of the newest superfoods on the market. Most people will know Japanese soy as an appetizer in the sushi restaurant. But more and more people are turning to this snack which is especially beneficial. to the figure, because 100 g of edamame has only 125 kcal, low fat and lots of healthy protein.
Edamame is also full of satiating fiber, healthy omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as important vitamins and numerous minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Consequently, edamame have a positive effect on our blood sugar levels and ensure strong bones and a healthy heart. There are pre-cooked edamame, which are simply defrosted in the microwave and mixed with a little salt and pepper. The fresh beans are cooked in a pot of salted water over low heat for at least five minutes. After draining, sprinkle with salt and spices if you want, and that's it.
9 - Black cabbage chips
Dried Kale Chips are a great nutrient-rich, low-calorie snack for travel and much healthier than the usual potato chips. All you need is the cabbage, the oil and spices of your choice: remove the cabbage leaves from the stem and wash them. Now sprinkle with a little oil and sprinkle with spices to taste. Spread the cabbage on top. a roasting pan and roast it in the oven at 180 degrees for up to five minutes.Then turn the leaves and cook again for up to five minutes.The chips are ready when the cabbage is a light brown color.
10 - Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds have a high protein content and are therefore the perfect snack for fitness between one thing and another. They contain not only valuable proteins, but also essential micronutrients that are indispensable for metabolic processes, as well as fiber and a lot of zinc. which is responsible for hormonal regulation, among other things. With a pinch of salt and curry, the little seeds are a great alternative to unhealthy snacks.
11 - Energy balls
Energy balls are the healthy dessert for the interval - with lots of protein! The balls are perfect when you are craving something sweet but still want to eat healthy. And you can easily do them yourself at home. For 10 pieces you need about 150 g of dried fruit and 70 g of nuts. Dates are the perfect base, but you can also choose other nuts such as figs, pineapples or apricots. And you can also choose from a variety of nuts: Cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios .... In addition, the balls can be made even tastier with spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, matcha or cocoa powder.
Preparation: blend all the ingredients with a blender. The mixture should be very chopped and sticky. If it's still too dry, just add more dates. Now form the mass into small balls with your hands and then put them in the fridge. If you want, you can roll the finished energy balls into chopped nuts or coconut flakes.
