Healthy Snacking

Eating all the right things can be very hard for students and people on the go because we're always rushing around and lots of times end up eating what's fast and available. Many students are not educated about how harmful this can be to their body and don't know any better. One of the most difficult times to eat healthy is when snacking; therefore I have put together a great list of yummy and quick snacks for those of us always rushing around, or for those of us who simply want a good idea for a nutricious snack.

• 1/2 cup of grapes + one stick of mozzarella string cheese (102 calories, 1g fiber, 7g protein, 3g fat)

• 1/4 cup soy nuts + 1 tablespoon chocolate chips (190 calories, 6g fiber, 12g protein, 9g fat)

• 2 clementine oranges + 7 walnuts (163 calories, 3g fiber, 3g protein, 9g fat)

• 1/2 egg salad sandwhich on wheat bread (163 calories, 2g fiber, 10g protein, 8g fat)

• 1/2 sliced cucumber + 3 tablespoons hummus (98 calories, 4g fiber, 5g protein, 4g fat)

• 1 banana spread with about 2 teaspoons peanut butter (200 calories, 4g fiber, 8g fat)

• Smoothie with 1/4 cup pineapple juice + 1/4 plain lowfat yogurt + 1/4 frozen strawberries + 1/2 banana (137 calories, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 1g fat)

*Nutrition facts from: Real Simple Magazine

The Six Food Groups

To have what's considered a healthy diet one must get a balanced amount of calories, carbs, proteins, fiber, fats, vitamins, etc. There are six food groups that are vital to eating well; they include: grains, vegetables, fruits, good fats & oils, dairy products or alternatives, and proteins.

• Grains - Contain carbs that give your body the energy it needs to get through the day. Breads, pastas, cerial, and rice all fit into this food group.

• Vegetables - Rich in nutrients that are hard to get from other foods such as calcium and iron. They also contain fiber that helps your body digest.

• Fruits - Also rich in nutrients your body needs such as Vitamin C and potassium.

• Good fats & oils - Not all fats should be avoided, Omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts and some fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of heart disease and help reduce symptoms of depression and ADHD. Avocados, fish oils and egg yolks are other examples of foods with good fats.

• Dairy products or alternatives - Great source of Vitamin D, Calcium, B Vitamins and Protein. Cow's milk, yogurt, cheese and almond milk are all examples of dairy products or non-animal based alternatives.

• Proteins - Your muscles, organs and immune system are made up of mostly protein so it's necessary to eat this food group in order to stay strong and healthy. Generally people believe you have to eat meat to get protein but that isn't the case, there has been little to no distinguishing difference between animal proteins and vegetable proteins. Meats, eggs, fish tofu, beans, nuts and cheese are all good sources of protein.



Make sure you are getting a balanced amount of these six food groups in your daily food intake!

First Blog Entry

Welcome to my blog on health and nutrition! This blog is being used as the homebase for my Senior Project. It was created to share information and hopefully help to educate all who read it about living a healthy lifestyle. I would like to get as many viewers as possible so please share the link to my site with whomever may be interested, it would be much appreciated. Simply copy and paste the link from the address bar at the top of the page.

I will cover a broad span of topics and would love to get some open discussions going. I can also offer advice and answer questions. I appreciate you logging on, checking out my site and supporting my Senior Project. I strongly encourage comments, feedback and suggestions so feel free to post your thoughs. Come back soon to check out new posts!

-Makala