Healthy Men Snacks
Chowing down on potato chips in between meals is not the smartest decision. Most junk foods can lead to weight and health issues. However, that doesn't mean you have to dismiss snacks all together. Snacks that offer nutritional value can boost energy levels throughout the day or after a workout. In fact, there are a variety of healthy options for men depending on your needs.
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Good Junk Food
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Dark chocolate can relax blood vessels. While most junk food is very low in nutritional value, some junk foods actually contain good fat. According to "Men's Health" magazine, you may want to put some so-called junk foods on your keep list. Consider snacking on pork rinds for their high protein content, low carbohydrates, and healthy acids. Likewise, all-natural beef jerky can have low sodium, no preservatives, and essential acids. When eaten in small portions, coconut can help to boost good cholesterol, according to "Men's Health." Dark chocolate can relax blood vessels and improve blood flow.
High Protein Snacks
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Peanut butter is high in protein. To boost energy, look for a snack that is high in protein and also contains nutritional value. For instance, consider snacks in all-natural forms such as beef jerky, which contains approximately 11 g of protein. Other snacks high in protein include egg whites, cottage cheese with fruit, fruit shakes that include whey protein, peanut butter, and protein bars.
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Post-Workout Snacks
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Eat an all-natural turkey sandwich on whole grain bread. Gain back your energy after your workout with snacks that contain carbohydrates to assist in muscle repair. Eat carbohydrates that are all-natural or organic to limit preservatives or hormones. Healthy post-workout snacks include turkey with cheese and a fruit such as an apple, banana or grapes; juice and toasted soy nuts; a turkey or tuna sandwich on whole grain bread; yogurt that is low in fat with granola; and even one slice of leftover pizza.
Healing Snacks
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Blueberries are high in antioxidants. Eat snacks that are high in vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants and minerals to help with a variety of benefits, including reducing stress, boosting your metabolism, and destroying bad cells. For instance, healthy snacks such as yogurt, nuts, green tea, ginseng tea, blueberries, trail mix, eggs. and dark chocolate all have some sort of healing quality varying from fighting off colds to brightening your mood.
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References
- Photo Credit chocolate bar. image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com chocolate image by Oleg Verbitsky from Fotolia.com peanut butter on a cracker image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com Turkey Sandwich image by JJAVA from Fotolia.com blueberries image by Eric E from Fotolia.com
