9 Healthy Snacks That Can Actually Help You Burn More Unwanted Fat

You can only achieve fat loss if you manage to burn more calories than you take in. You can achieve such a goal by eating the correct types of food and in the right quantities.

You should then support your diet with physical activities and fat burning exercises.

Thus, you may need changes to your lifestyle if you want to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle may include changing your diet. It may also mean taking up more fat burning exercises.

Eating healthy snacks between your main meals could be the key to achieving your new and healthy lifestyle goals.

Including some healthy snacks in your diet should help you burn more calories. That could help put you on the road to losing weight quickly

Eating healthy snacks throughout the day is a sure way to reduce your waistline and your weight.

According to research, the participants who ate healthy snacks frequently weighed less than those who ate fewer snacks.

Eating more healthy snacks can

• keep you full for longer,
• help maintain your blood sugar levels, and
• stop your body from storing unnecessary fat.

The challenge for you and anybody trying to lose weight is deciding on the best healthy snacks to include in your diet.

Making the right choices may help you burn more calories. It can also help you maintain your weight at your desired level.

Criteria for healthy snacks

Your goal is to opt for snacks with the correct number of calories. They should have the right combination of nutrients as well.

Such snacks would boost or keep your energy levels, help you burn more fat, and help you lose weight.

Experts recommend the following criteria for such healthy snacks:

• They should contain more than 3 grams of fiber. The fiber will help fill you up. They would also help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
• Calorie levels should be between 150-200. Snacks with such calories would fill you up. It is not likely you would exceed your total calorie needs for the day when you eat these snacks with other snacks and meals.
• Sugar levels must not be more than 8 grams. Sugar, including artificial sweeteners, can lead to weight gain. Thus, you should avoid foods with high sugar content.
• They should contain ten (10) or more grams of protein. The protein will help keep you full for longer. It will also help reduce the edge to eat sooner. Protein, combined with various exercises, will help you build muscle mass. It will also help boost your metabolism. That will then help you burn more calories.

What are the healthy snacks that can help you burn more unwanted fat?

If your goal is to lose weight, build more muscle, or burn more fat, then try some of the healthy snacks I have listed here.

Eating more of these healthy snacks would keep you full for longer. That will reduce your craving for unhealthy foods.

These healthy whole-food snacks contain lots of proteins and nutrients. They could boost your metabolism and help you burn more fat. They would also help boost your energy levels.

Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the most popular snacks enjoyed in many parts of the world. But it is, in some cases, prepared with many unhealthy ingredients like salt, sugar, and fat.

But prepared in the right way with selected ingredients, popcorn could be one of the best healthy snacks that can help you burn more calories.

Popcorn is a whole grain food containing many healthy vitamins and minerals. It has high levels of fiber as well.

As a whole grain food, it has many health benefits. It can help reduce the risk of getting various diseases. Such diseases include those related to the heart, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and inflammation (1, 2, 3).

Popcorn is a good source of polyphenols as well. Polyphenols are antioxidants. They can help improve the circulation of blood and digestive health. They are also known to help lower the risk of getting certain cancers.

Popcorn is low in calories. A homemade serving of 1-cup air-popped popcorn contains about 31 calories (4). But adding additives like butter and flavors can increase the calorie count.

To help control your calories intake, opt for the small 100-calorie packs. You can prepare these in a microwave. Quite a few manufacturers offer these.

Or you can prepare your own with an air popper. Doing so can give you control over what additives to add.

When air-popped and lightly seasoned, popcorn can be one of the healthiest snacks you can have.

One way to make popcorn healthy if you are preparing some at home is to add some protein or seasoning.

You can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Or, you can add a slice or 2 of cheese or any protein you prefer. Adding protein will make it more nutritious and will keep you fuller for longer.

You can also add some spicy curry seasoning, nutritional yeast, or chili powder if you prefer.

Popcorn is a good source of dietary fiber. That means it can keep you full for longer. (5)

Thus, popcorn can be one of the healthiest snacks to rely on as part of your diet and weight loss plans.

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter

Apples have high water and fiber content. It can help keep you full for longer.

Compared to those who did not take any apple products or took apple juice, or applesauce, people who ate apple slices before a meal in a study felt much fuller. (6)

In the same study, those who had apple slices as a starter to a meal ate about 200 fewer calories. The researchers compared their calorie intake with those who did not take apple slices. (6)

In another 10-week study involving 50 overweight women, participants who took apples lost about 2 pounds each. The calorie intake of these women was also lower than when they started the study. The researchers compared the above to the results of participants who took oat cookies containing similar amounts of fiber and calories.

Researchers believe the natural compounds in apples, together with the high fiber and water contents, can help you lose weight quickly.

Some experts believe that while it contains fewer calories, it still takes longer to consume an apple. That gives your stomach more time to communicate with your brain that you are full. Thus, you could eat many slices without piling on the calories.

Aside from the high fiber content, the apple skin contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are non-digestible compounds that can give you many benefits. Such benefits include improving gut health. It can also help reduce the risk of getting various diseases, including those related to the heart. (7)

Apple polyphenols are antioxidants that may help stop cholesterol and fat from entering the body. They can also help slow the production of these nutrients and thereby help you lose weight.

One research shows that adding apple polyphenols to your beverage could reduce body fat in obese or overweight adults. (8, 9)

Apples are nutritious and healthy snacks. They are very satisfying. They can help reduce your craving for food and help manage your appetite.

Several studies have shown that consuming apples as part of your diet can help you achieve your weight loss goals. (10)

Tip

To boost your effort to burn more calories, combine your apple slices with peanut butter.

Peanut butter is high in calories. But there have been no studies linking peanut butter with weight gain. Still, it is better to go easy on the quantities you consume at a time.

Peanut butter has high protein contents. It can keep you full for longer. Studies show it can help reduce your risk of gaining weight and being obese (11)

Plain yogurt and fresh fruits

You can speed up the fat-burning engines of your body by adding yogurt to your diet. (12)

Obese adults ate fat-free yogurt as part of a reduced-calorie diet in a study. The researchers found the participants lost up to 22% of their body weight by eating three servings of fat-free yogurt each day. Their body fat fell by 61%. The yogurt eaters also lost 81% of the fat in their stomach area.

Researchers in the above study compared the women who are fat-free yogurt to those who just reduced their calorie intake. The second group of women did not take any extra calcium.

Aside from losing an average of 14 pounds in weight, the researchers found that the yogurt eaters were able to maintain lean muscle mass (13)

Lean muscle mass helps determine how many calories you can burn. The greater your muscle mass, the more calories your body can burn.

Yogurt, combined with fruits, can provide your body with much-needed fiber, calcium, and other nutrients and vitamins.

Yogurt contains protein. It also contains probiotics that can boost your gut health.

Plain yogurt is better because it contains no added sugar and has low calories.

You can also go for low-fat or Whole milk plain yogurt. Combine any of these with any fruits of your choice. Berries are a good choice if you are not sure of what fruits to add.

Berries contain antioxidants. They can help lower the risk of certain diseases. Such diseases include those associated with the heart. (14). Go for a mixture of the different colors of berries. That will widen the number of compounds and nutrients. (15)

Other fruits you can try are cherries or cranberries.

You can sprinkle some whole-grain cereal or pumpkin seeds to make. You would be making some healthy snacks with any of these combinations.

Low-fat dairy products can promote a feeling of fullness. So, they can help you reduce the amount of food you eat in the short term.

Greek Yogurt and mixed berries

You can turn your plain yogurt and fruit combination into one of the best healthy snacks by opting for Greek yogurt. The combination can help you burn more calories.

Greek yogurt has almost twice the amount of protein found in plain yogurt. Thus, opt for Greek yogurt if you want to give your snack a protein boost. You can top this up with your favored fruit.

Combining Greek yogurt with berries, for example, will give you a delicious snack that is rich in nutrients.

For example, one study (16) found that eating high-protein Greek yogurts could reduce your hunger pangs. Greek yogurt can keep you full for longer and help increase the gap between meals.

Another study concluded that taking Greek yogurt with high protein content as an afternoon snack can help control your appetite. It can help reduce your craving for food. It can also help reduce the temptation to overeat in the evening. (17)

Homemade smoothies

Homemade smoothies can be one of the healthiest snacks to add to your list of calorie-burning foods.

You can make your smoothies by combining a selected range of ingredients to suit your needs.

Start with fruits and vegetables. You can then add protein-laden foods like peanut butter, avocado, and almond butter.

You can include anything in your smoothie. But for a healthier version, avoid sugar and any foods with high calories, like flavored syrups and fruit juices.

Adding foods with high protein content can help you build lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you can burn.

Foods with high protein contents can help keep you full for longer and keep your hunger pangs at bay.

Include some fiber to make it even more filling.

Spinach, for example, has high fiber content that can help keep you full. Add spinach to help keep you away from food for longer.

Powdered oats have high fiber contents. Add some to your smoothies to keep you full for longer. It will help reduce your desire to eat at shorter intervals.

Berries are full of antioxidants known to help with fat burn. They also contain polyphenols that can stop fat from building up in your body.

Adding cinnamon and honey may help speed up your effort to burn more calories.

A study in 2017 indicated cinnamon could make the body create heat to make it burn more calories.

Another study in 2010 concluded that honey could help you turn on hormones in your body that can help control your appetite. A different study in 2011 found that you can stop your body from gaining weight by taking honey instead of sucrose.

Flaxseeds are full of nutrients and are rich in dietary fiber. They are high in Omega-3 fats and are a source of plant-based proteins, as well.

Adding flaxseed to your smoothies can help you burn more fat. It can help suppress your hunger pangs and appetite (21).

The high fiber content can slow down the digestive processes in your body. Thus, you will feel full for longer and extend the time between meals (22)

Dark chocolate with almonds

Trying to lose weight or managing your weight should not mean giving up all your pastime favorites.

Dark chocolates, for example, could be as healthy as many of the healthy snacks available to you.

According to research, your body can ferment chocolate. That can help boost the production of gut-healthy compounds in your body.

These polyphenolic compounds include fatty acids that can help your body burn fat as fuel (23). The fatty acids can also deactivate the genes that cause inflammation.

Opt for dark chocolates with at least 70% cocoa solids. They contain high levels of flavonoids, a type of plant nutrients.

Flavonoids can help lower your blood pressure. They can also help reduce the risk of various diseases, including those related to the heart (24).

To make it one of the best healthy snacks, you can combine dark chocolate with almonds.

Studies are available to show that almonds can help reduce the amount of food you eat. Thus, they can help you lose weight (25, 26)

Almonds contain high levels of monounsaturated fat that are good for your heart. They can help control your blood sugar levels as well.

Edamame Hummus

Hummus is traditionally a Mediterranean dish. You can make it from pureed chickpeas.

It contains good levels of protein and fiber (28). These types of foods can help you stay full for longer

Studies have indicated eating more legumes like chickpeas can help improve satiety and help reduce your body weight (29)

You can spice up your hummus with edamame. Steaming immature soybeans will give you edamame.

Many enjoy edamame for its distinctive texture and flavor. It is also one of the favorite healthy snacks for many, including vegetarians.

It is rich in the antioxidant kaempferol. Studies in animals have indicated kaempferol can help lower your blood sugar levels. It can also help reduce body weight. (30)

It contains many minerals, including magnesium and iron.

Edamame is a nutritious legume with low levels of calories and good levels of protein. A cup of edamame can contain about 180 calories and around 19 grams of protein (31).

Add your favorite veggie dips for some healthy snacks with very high nutritional content. It can help you build lean muscles. That should, in turn, help you burn more calories.

Eggs – Scrambled, hard-boiled, or fried.

Not all food sources that supply or contain protein are equal. Thus, protein from some sources may not have all the essential components.

Eggs are one of the few foods that are sources of complete protein (32). That means eggs contain all the nine essential amino acids your body cannot make.

Once digested, the amino acids can help release the hormones in your gut. That can help suppress your appetite.

A study in 2011 found that participants who ate omelets felt fuller after 4 hours than those who ate a carbohydrate meal. The researchers concluded that eating a meal made with omelets at lunchtime could help reduce the number of calories you may consume between meals.

Eggs are also a good source of other vital minerals and vitamins. These include choline, vitamins B12 and K2.

Choline is a fat-burning nutrient that can help switch off the genes that make the belly store fat.

Eggs are a good source of lean protein that can help your body burn fat throughout the day.

Eggs have fewer calories but are very filling. Two large, hard-boiled eggs may contain about 13 grams of protein and about 140 calories. Having an egg or two at breakfast or lunch can help keep you full for many hours (34).

Thus, eggs are some of the healthy snacks to consider in your effort to burn more unwanted fat and lose weight.

Tip:

Add a few veggies, like spinach or asparagus, to your eggs to boost the fiber content of your snack.

Aside from fiber, asparagus contains vitamin E that can fire up sex hormones in both men and women. It can also generate arousal and orgasm.

Asparagus has vitamin E as well. Vitamin E can stimulate sex hormones in both men and women (35).

The combination should give you some low-calorie healthy snacks. That should keep you fuller for longer.

Nuts

Nuts are some of the most popular snacks that you can eat at home and on the go.

Nuts have high protein and unsaturated fat content. They are very rich in many other nutrients and are very healthy snacks that can help promote satiety. Eating nuts between meals may help increase the gap between meals by keeping you fuller for longer.

Nuts are effective at promoting satiety but, they are high in calories. But a systematic review in 2013 showed that including nuts in your diet will not increase your body weight (36). Despite those conclusions, you should regulate the quantities you eat.

Nuts have high fat contents. Yet, many studies have confirmed that eating nuts in reasonable quantities may give you many benefits. It can also help you shed body fat.

Among its many benefits, unsaturated fat can help reduce the risk of heart diseases. They can help lower cholesterol levels as well.

Include a variety of nuts in your pack of healthy snacks. Doing so should help you reap some of the many benefits and burn excess body fat.

Almonds, for example, contain high filling fiber, heart-healthy fats, and protein.

A study in 2003 concluded that almonds could play a prominent role in tackling obesity. They based this on the conclusions of their research. Participants who ate almonds lost more weight than those who did not (37).

Walnuts contain many antioxidants that can help you fight many diseases. It is one of the best sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Studies show walnut can help reduce your risk of getting some heart diseases (38).

Peanuts or peanut butter is very high in plant-based proteins. They can help lower your cholesterol levels.

The amino acid content in peanuts can help trigger your body’s appetite-suppressing hormones. That can help you burn more body fat and thus, lose weight.

Make a mixture of different nuts to create a pack of healthy snacks. You can, for example, combine your nuts with dark chocolate or use the butter as a spread on apple slices.

Whatever nuts you choose for your mix should give you some of the most nutritious and healthy snacks. They will keep you full for longer and help you burn more unwanted body fat for a leaner healthy body.

Final Words from LiveLife

Trying to burn body fat could be a complex exercise. The type of foods you eat before you exercise, after your workouts, and during other times of the day can all help determine how much body fat you can burn.

Healthy snacks can play a significant role in that effort. These can help suppress your appetite and extend the times between your main meals.

Having the right ideas for what healthy snacks to go for, and making the right choices, can help you achieve your healthy lifestyle goals.