7 snacks that taste FATTY but keep you skinny

Are you one of those girls desperate for a hot body yet have a constant urge to nibble on something throughout the day? Are you a dude who hits the gym every day just to keep fit? It is not unusual for a lady to tell a man that she’s full but is actually starving inside.

It is also probably because she wants to be seen as a dainty small eater. If you always need something to snack on at your office desk yet don’t want to succumb to “a minute on the lips, forever on the hips”, there are actually many fat-free healthy snacks that you can chomp on guilt-free. They taste good, so they aren’t one of those horrible healthy stuff that makes you rather starve than to eat them.

Check out some of these mouth-watering snacks that will keep you being skinny:

Roasted edamame

Edamame is good for health, that’s why the health-conscious Japanese love it. While edamame used to be only served in Japanese restaurants, you can find them easily as they are now an item on the menu of many Japanese sushi chains such as Sushi King and Sakae Sushi. The reason why edamame is good for you is the high levels of protein, cancer-fighting antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and fibre that it contains. Fibre helps to maintain the well-being of the digestive tract as well as traps cholesterol, preventing your blood sugar levels from spiking.

Edamame is a favourite among gym goers who love them because they can be used to provide the body with protein before and after workouts. Bananas are also a good of energy if you want to do a 90-minutes workout but if you prefer variety, go for edamame. They are so tasty and crunchy that you will be munching on them as though they are nuts, unbelieving that something so good is actually packed in goodness.

Vegetable and fruit crisps

If you somehow just need chips, satisfy your cravings with vegetable and fruit crisps. Choose from a bottle of vegetable chips consisting of long beans, carrots, taro and sweet potatoes air-fried for your consumption or a packet of jackfruit, apple, banana, melon and even star fruit chips. There are also mushroom chips for you to enjoy. If you prefer something chewy instead of crunchy, dried fruits make a good snack too. Dried mangoes are always a favourite, so are pineapples and guava. Make sure you choose the dried instead of preserved ones as the former would have sweeteners, preservatives and colouring added.

Tomato pasta

When ‘pasta’ is mentioned, what comes to mind is a rich sinful plate of spaghetti smothered in cream sauce and topped with smoked salmon, meatballs and a generous sprinkling of grated cheese. As such, how can pasta possibly be healthy? Pasta can indeed be healthy if you swap the cream sauce for unsweetened tomato paste and use whole grain pasta instead. And of course, go easy on the grated cheese. Whole grain is low in calories and is a good source of fibre while tomatoes are rich in antioxidants and protects your heart. Another healthier but equally delicious serving of pasta is one that’s drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chopped herbs and spices – simple but lovely.

Fruit yogurt

Fruit-flavoured yogurt makes a great snack because it is a sweet-tasting good source of protein. For a more delightful and filling snack, add real fruits to the yogurt. What you can do is to buy your usual cup or tub of yogurt and add your favourite fruits such as mangoes, grapes, raisins, honeydew and watermelon to it – you’d think you were having a scoop of ice-cream instead. The combination of protein and fruit will definitely fill you up and provide you with the energy you need, so that your stomach wouldn’t get grumpy for at least until lunch time.

Coconut macaroons

You don’t have to limit your macaroon intake to just one or two anymore! How can those little sugary saucers help you watch your weight, you might wonder. They can, if done the right way. It is only the store-bought ones that threaten to raise your blood sugar levels. Due to the fibre contents, macaroons are actually great for the digestive system. The coconut oil contained in the coconut used serves the same purpose, so your gut will be very well taken care of. It might not be easy locating coconut macaroons in stores (and you don’t want to feast on those sugar-laden ones as well), make your own. Only three ingredients – egg whites, coconut and some sweetener – are needed, so it is pretty easy. Coconut macaroons are such great relief for digestive disorders that they can even calm the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease (an inflammatory bowel disease).

Ginger cookies

Cookie-eating can also be done guilt-free now with ginger cookies. Containing fair amounts of the rhizome that has been a Chinese remedy for ages, ginger cookies can alleviate has various health conditions. For starters, ginger has been traditionally used to soothe the stomach as well as to keep arthritis at bay. This isn’t just an old wives tale; an issue of Journal of Medicinal Food published in 2005 revealed that ginger and anti-inflammatory drugs indeed share many properties. Ginger is also rich in vitamin B and iron, so much that one ginger cookie contains as much iron as a cup of raisins. Last but not least, ginger also possesses cancer-fighting properties.

Baked oatmeal

If the word ‘oatmeal’ makes you scrunch up your nose, it is because you don’t know how to prepare a delicious meal of oats. Enough praises have been sung about oats – lowers bad cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart diseases, great for weight loss etc. – that it is worth the effort looking up a recipe from the Net to put together a healthy yet delightful oatmeal. One apparent hit among the health conscious is the baked oatmeal with strawberries, banana and chocolate chips. Even the name itself sounds tantalising. Some customise the recipe by adding Chinese five spice powder while others add citrus zest or cinnamon; whatever floats your boat. However, don’t make this an excuse to go heavy on the chocolate chips!