Posts Tagged ‘ Pinkberry ’

Summer’s Refreshing, Healthy Snacks

May 28th, 2008 | By Food Snob | Category: Sustainable Living
Rating 3.00 out of 5

Best Summer Snacks

Before, summertime meant regular trips to Thrifty’s for their 39ยข ice cream cones. Maybe if it was a weekend, it meant a much anticipated trip to Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen for a 31-flavor taste test and a Blizzard made-to-go.

Now, summertime means trips to Pinkberry for a frozen yogurt and to any convenient store for a zero-calorie-anything drink. However, before you rush into line to get what you may think is a healthy snack, read what we think are the three best and healthiest suggestions for easy, refreshing summer snacks.

1) Ice cream vs. Frozen Yogurt: If you’re debating between the two then frozen yogurt is probably the healthier choice, but this doesn’t mean that it’s actually healthy for you - especially if you’re topping your 13 ounces of frozen yogurt with a heap of almonds and M&Ms. Frozen yogurt has about 25-30 calories per ounce, so even without the toppings you easily have over 325 calories in your cup. Be wary of what you put on top of your frozen yogurt as well as the size of the portion. Keep in mind that frozen yogurt also has about half the calcium and protein benefits of regular, plain yogurt. So if you’re really looking for a healthy snack, mix some summer strawberries or cherries with a cup of non-fat, plain yogurt for something that’s both cool to the palette and great for your body.

2) Regular vs. Diet Drinks: It’s tempting to grab a super drink in this heat but keep in mind that mega-size portions come with mega-size calories. It’s really easy to over consume our portions because everything is served so out of proportion. This also goes for diet sodas or other diet drinks. While these types of drinks may contain zero calories, they usually use aspartame or some other form of artificial sweetener to sweeten the drink. Studies have shown that the sweet flavor triggers your body to want real sugar, setting off cravings. Your body was expecting calories from your sweet diet soda, so when there aren’t any, the body will demand real calories. So whether you’re choosing a regular or a diet drink, think about how often and how much you’re consuming these drinks. If you’re looking for a cold fizz, then why not opt for a bottle of sparking Perrier or maybe add some cucumber, apple, orange, or lemon slices to your water for a bit of flavor!

3) Strawberries vs. Cherries: To this I say both! Summertime’s a great time to get strawberries or cherries at your local farmer’s market. Strawberries are rich in Vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber. Cherries are great for potassium and also a good source for calcium. Both also serve as good sources for antioxidants which help protect the body’s cells and organs. If I can’t finish my strawberries while they’re fresh, I like freezing them so that I can slowly eat them like ice cubes (although this is probably not the best for your teeth). Other fruits are also great snacks to add to your daily diet. Aside from various vitamins and nutrients, eating fresh fruit is also great for digestion and for burning calories. Unlike drinking blended fruit smoothies, which takes the body little effort to break down, the body has a steady process of breaking down fresh fruit to allows us a consistent source of energy.

So whether you’re on a healthy diet or looking to satisfy a craving, keep in mind that the key is balance. Indulging occasionally is okay as long as you are aware of what you’re putting into your body and mindful of other healthier alternatives!


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