A dietitian who adheres to the Mediterranean diet reveals her top 5 snack choices The Mediterranean diet is widely recognized as a highly nutritious eating pattern. It emphasizes vegetables, legumes, seafood, and olive oil as essential components, while discouraging processed and fried foods, red meat, refined grains, added sugars, and saturated fats. Moderate wine consumption is acceptable.
Kirsten Jackson, a registered dietitian, previously shared her preferred Mediterranean diet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with Insider.
When it comes to snacking, Jackson opts for whole foods rich in protein and fiber, often incorporating fruits or vegetables.
In this article, she shares her go-to snacks with Insider.
Crispy roasted chickpeas According to Jackson, roasted chickpeas make for a satisfying alternative to chips.
They are an excellent source of protein and fiber, she noted, and are simple to prepare: Just drain canned chickpeas, spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and spices. Then bake until they turn crisp.
Personalized trail mix Jackson creates her own trail mix by combining dark chocolate, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Dark chocolate offers various benefits, including promoting heart health.
Apple slices paired with peanut butter Combining apple slices with peanut butter creates a satisfying snack that combines fiber, healthy fats, and protein.
A dietitian previously informed Insider that combining nuts or nut butter with fruit provides more satiety compared to consuming fruit alone.
Crunchy vegetable sticks with hummus For convenience, Jackson suggests buying pre-cut carrots, peppers, cucumbers, or celery if you're short on time.
Pairing the veggies with hummus enhances the snack's filling factor compared to eating vegetables on their own.
Peanut butter topped oatcakes In addition, Jackson enjoys snacking on oatcakes spread with peanut butter. She emphasizes the importance of consuming complex carbohydrates, such as oats, sweet potatoes, whole-grain bread, and whole-grain pasta, as they provide more vitamins, minerals, and fiber compared to refined carbohydrates like white bread, potatoes, and pasta.
If you have a craving for cookies, Jackson suggests opting for chocolate oatcakes to satisfy your sweet tooth as well.
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