Cant-go-wrong munchies that will satisfy your cravings and help you lose pounds

10 Snacks That Fight Fat

TAMAR HASPEL

Want to stick to your diet? Start snacking. It helps control hunger and rein in portion sizes at meals. And dont worry, its supposed to feel indulgent. If a snack isnt satisfying, youll go in search of something that is. For help choosing smart snack options at the grocery store, we turned to Tara Gidus, R.D., of the American Dietetic Association. A snack should fill you up, be reasonably nutritious, and be in the 100- to 200-calorie range, Gidus says.

FROZEN PEAS AND CORN

Ditching the celery sticks doesnt mean abandoning the whole food group. Frozen vegetables often taste better because theyre not turning into starch, like their produce-aisle counterparts. Freezing vegetables seals in their naturally sweet flavor. Half of a cup of peas has 55 calories and 3 g of fiber; the same amount of corn contains 72 calories with 2 g of fiber. The high-fiber and low-calorie-density combination means theyre filling and satisfying, and the frozen part makes them interesting. Theyre firm, but not rock hard, and they melt in your mouth. You can use the same trick with fruit, Gidus says. Freeze grapes or cherries, and its a whole different experience.

KASHI CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

These are the chewiest bars going (dont confuse them with other types of Kashi bars look for chewy on the label). They have 130 to 140 calories each, 4 grams of fiber, 5 g of protein, and theyre made with real nuts and whole grains. And they actually taste good. Youve got chewy, youve got sweet, and youve got a bar, Gidus says. Thats got a real snacky feel to it. The calorie range is right, and the fiber is high.

TOTAL YOGURT
Skip the usual fruit-on-the-bottom suspects high in sugar, ho-hum in texture. Try Fage Total Greek Yogurt instead. This imported greek yogurt is strained, which makes it fluffy. Itll fool you into thinking its fatfilled, but the 0% on its label tells you how much fat it really contains. The 80 calories per serving give you room to maneuver, so sweeten the pot with chopped apricots or dates. Theres evidence that dairy calcium helps you lose weight, and this also adds protein and fiber, Gidus says. WomensHealthMag.com 10 SNACKS THAT FIGHT FAT 1

A DRESSED-UP APPLE
A 2003 Brazilian study found that three apples a day can keep weight gain at bay and can even help you lose. Theres no magic compound, according to Rui Hai Liu, Ph.D., an apple researcher at Cornell University. The best way to lose weight is to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. That increases volume and decreases calorie density. If youve got 5 minutes and a knife, cut your apple up and mix it with some chopped walnuts and a teaspoon or two of maple syrup. Or eat it with a tablespoon of peanut butter to add about 100 calories worth of the satiating power of nuts.

Unwrap a frozen juice bar and you can practically hear the ice cream truck rounding the corner of your cul-de-sac

FROZEN JUICE BARS

Unwrap a frozen juice bar and you can practically hear the ice cream truck rounding the corner of your cul-desac. Theyre sweet and tangy, and anything frozen takes longer to eat, Gidus says. Theyre just a few calories, and theyve even got some vitamins. Our favorite: Edys Tangerine, with flavor as bright as its color and a mere 80 calories.

QUAKER EXPRESS OATMEAL

If you think the microwaves only contribution to snack time is popcorn, you have to try Quaker Express. Officefriendly, its packaged in an individual cup. Just add water and microwave for about a minute, and youre set to snack. Studies have found that oatmeal is more filling than dry cereal with the same calories and fiber content, Gidus says. The Baked Apple flavor has a slight fiber edge (1 g) over the other flavors. Best of all, it wont stink up the office.

SOY CHIPS
If edamame had a tryst with orange-dusted nachos, the result would look a lot like soy chips a high-fiber, low-fat snack thats a significant source of soy protein. And soy protein, according to a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity, not only helps facilitate weight loss, but also helps ensure that the weight lost is fat rather than muscle. The isoflavones in soy act like estrogen and inhibit the enzyme that facilitates fat deposits, according to Paul Cooke, Ph.D., a soy researcher at the University of Illinois. A pack of soy chips racks up as many as 7 g of soy protein in about 100 calories, which leaves room for a 1/4 cup of Guiltless Gourmet bean dip. The dip adds 60 calories and another 4 g each of fiber and protein.

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GUM
Before you reach for a snack even one on this list ask yourself if youre really hungry. If youre not or youre not sure, reach for a stick of gum.

Before you reach for a snack even one on this list ask yourself if youre really hungry. If youre not or youre not sure, reach for a stick of gum

James Levine, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic has measured the energy burned by chewing and found that just moving your jaw up and down can burn some 11 extra calories per hour, which is a boost of about 19 percent over your just-sitting-there level. Now, 11 calories may not sound like much, but thats about a pound a year for every hour per day that you chew. And that doesnt count the calorie savings from the snacks youre not eating.

LICORICE
Were not done chewing yet. Licorice, which has an active ingredient called glycyrrhetinic acid, has been shown to help reduce body fat mass. (The good news is you dont have to be able to pronounce the acid to reap its benefits.) Decio Armanini, M.D., who did the research at Italys University of Padua, explains that there are two ways licorice works. The first is complicated and involves blocking an enzyme that plays a role in fat accumulation. The second is simpler. Licorice can reduce appetite, he says. The effect is probably related to the agreeable taste of licorice, and for that reason people do not need to eat more. Were not talking Twizzlers here; go for the real thing, preferably with licorice extract high on its ingredient list. (Look for it in grocery stores, not convenience stores.) A handful is about 150 calories and will keep you busy chewing something sweet, flavorful, and satisfying for twice the time it takes to down a bag of M&Ms.

BARBARAS CINNAMON PUFFINS

You know fiber promotes weight loss; you know that high-fiber cereal is an easy way to it; and you know that cereal isnt just for breakfast. But youd be happier eating this magazine than a bowl of All-Bran. Enter Barbara, with her Cinnamon Puffins. Theyre crunchy, puffy, and very, very cinnamony. A 3/4-cup serving has 100 calories and 6 g of fiber. It looks like a lot, Gidus says, so your eyes see a substantial snack. Its a lot more impressive than 10 little walnuts. Add low-fat milk if you want, but Puffins can stand alone.

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