Healthy Low Carb Snacks

On this edition of “really big snack”, I want to talk about carbs. When the “carb free” craze came out a few years ago, I ignored it.

For one, I love bread, pizza, crackers and I know that if you make them yourself with whole grains they can be really healthy. That said, when it comes to snacking, most people reach for carb-based snacks because they are fast to prepare and there are a lot of store-bought options.

There is one really big ‘downer’ though, that is almost a “hidden” downside to high carb snacks, even when they are made with whole grains:

A lot of people don’t know what their carb and grains limits are for the day and end up going way overboard, which leads to weight gain.

How do I know this? I was doing it for years until I checked my limit on my pyramid.gov and guess what, my limit is 6 ounces, that 2 slices of bread and 1/2 cup uncooked pasta. So let’s just say now that I know, my pants wear a little looser, but I’m still eating carbs and I don’t have that crabby feeling most people have from avoiding carbs alltogether.

When it comes to snacking it’s all about balance. Did you have a business lunch over a big plate of pasta? Maybe you were smart and had only half the plate but still want to have a snack that will satisfy and that’s low in carbs. Or maybe you had a salad so you’re ready for the crunch of whole grain carb (click here for other big snack post).

How to Build a Healthy Low Carb Snack

Protein

Protein, like fiber can help us to stay full, longer. Be heart smart and look for lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish that are low in saturated fat. For this particular snack I used a left-over chicken sausage that is nitrate-free and low in preservatives.

Fantastic Fiber

You don’t need a gritty fiber drink to get fiber into your snack, just use vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds. I’ve added some ground flax to my peanut butter topping to give it the fiber fix.

Fabulous Fat

I also add a healthy food that contains some fat – just like fiber and protein, fat makes us feel full. You just need to get the right amount. This spicy peanut butter that is also high in protein as well as heart-friendly will satisfy any fierce appetite, guaranteed. Plus it’s loaded with spicy chilies that can rev up metabolism and add zing.

Spicy Sausage Wraps

Serves 1

2 teaspoon spicy peanut butter
2 teaspoons ground golden flax
1/2 cooked chicken sausage, sliced
2 small green lettuce leaves or one large Romaine lettuce leaf