With all the tests and endless amount of work that come during second semester, you might find yourself napping in class more than usual, walking down the halls like a zombie, and of course, reaching for chips, candy, and other snacks to satisfy your appetite or relieve stress.
However, although these snacks may seem convenient and easy to grab on the go, eating them will only give you sugar spikes and short bursts of energy, which will then deplete your energy levels and leave you craving for more. Sound familiar? Well, it’s no surprise, considering that junk food nowadays has an endless list of ingredients (many of which we can’t pronounce!) that contain artificially processed ingredients and highly addictive chemicals.
Junk food is basically empty calories with little nutrients – which doesn’t give your body’s cells the fuel and nutrition they need to rebuild and strengthen your outer beauty and health. To kick this habit out for good, here are a some healthy snack alternatives that you can reach for without feeling the guilt. They provide you with energy and nutrients so you can focus on your work and have mental clarity:
Fresh fruit should be a no-brainer. Fruit is one of the most cleansing foods you can put into your body, straight from Mother Nature! Although all fruits are healthy, the most nutrient-dense ones are bananas, apples, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, and berries. Just cut and pack them in a container to-go.
Nuts and seeds are good sources of fat when consumed in small portions (so don’t scarf down a whole bag at once!) and provide you with protein and energy. Eat a handful when you’re hungry to kill that growling tummy! Almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are great choices.
Dried fruit – This one’s difficult, particularly because most commercial dried fruit contains large amounts of added sugar, which is something we want to avoid when wanting more energy. Try unsweetened dried fruit, raisins, dates, dried figs, and goji berries, which contain a powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins.
Dark chocolate – Don’t be fooled by the processed dark chocolate that usually have tons of added sugar, artificial flavors, and dairy. If you’re a chocolate lover, get dark chocolate with at least 72% cacao for the highest amount of antioxidants. They’re sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Liquids – Of course we get thirsty when we’re dehydrated, but all too often people chug down pasteurized, naturally and artificially flavored juices and soda. They’re both detrimental to your health and do not serve any purpose at all for your body, so I recommend, other than water, coconut water, real fruit smoothies, fresh fruit/veggie juices, and non-dairy milk such as almond, organic soy, and hemp milk when you want something creamier.
