The Healthiest Brands for Snack Foods
Clients ask me often if they need to eliminate a particular packaged snack food or product from their diet if they are trying to lose weight and be healthier. They are hoping for me to say “no” because that particular food may have become a habit that they are not ready to let go of.
The good news is that we can always find healthier alternatives/brands for a particular not-too-healthy product.
People would need to compare the products' ingredient lists and nutrition facts labels and find a brand that offers less or no added sugars, salt, vegetable oils, preservatives, additives, colorings, or flavorings.
However, even though the products below may be healthier than your current product, you should control your portion size and number of servings a day, so you can avoid surpassing your daily recommendations for calories, carbs, salt, saturated fats, etc.
Here is a list of some brands of processed shelf-stable products that I recommend and buy for myself. At the end of this article, you will also find some great healthy snacks that I buy for my children:
Chips & crunchy bites
Search for chips with less total fats, sodium, or added sugars, and more protein and fiber. Avoid chips fried in soybean or corn oils.
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Crackers & cookies
Prefer crackers with no high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, or soybean oil. Look for brands that add more fiber and/or protein. If you choose a wheat-based product, prefer the ones that use organic wheat flour or that are non-GMO. For cookies, prefer brands that use a healthier sweetener, such as coconut palm sugar.
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Granola & protein bars
Choose granola/protein bars with no corn syrup, or soybean oil. Prefer brands that have less than 15 g of total carbs or zero or close to zero added sugars per serving. If the bar has more than 15g/serving of total carbs it also should be very high in fiber. Ditch the ones with multiple names for sugar in the ingredients: dextrose, maltodextrin, rice syrup, inverted sugar, fructose, mono or di-glycerides, etc., or with preservatives, or additives.
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Jerky
Prefer jerky meats such as wild-caught fish, organic chicken or turkey, raised without antibiotics/hormones, or grass-fed beef. Search for ones with no added sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, MSG, nitrates, colorings, preservatives, and lower in sodium - the Daily Value % of sodium should not be more than 20%.
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Chocolate
Buy dark chocolate instead of milk or white versions and prefer chocolate made with 70 % or more cacao for lower sugar content. Choose chocolate made with organic cacao beans (as it tends to be a highly sprayed crop).
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Ingredients for a trail mix
Make your own trail mix by adding nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and dark chocolate, and avoid buying pre-made products full of salt, vegetable oils, and added sugars.
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Snacks for kids
The snacks you buy for your kids do not need to contain added sugars, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), monosodium glutamate (MSG), excess sodium, or artificial flavorings to be tasty. Also, keep an eye on the label to avoid preservatives/additives (such as nitrates or nitrites), synthetic dyes/colorants, or inflammatory oils (such as soybean, and corn oils).
Some studies show a link between dyes and increased ADHD or hyperactivity in children. Also, harmful chemicals can disrupt your children's hormonal system. Children are more susceptible to the adverse effects of toxicants than adults. Highly processed foods tend to accumulate heavy metals, which are dangerous to our health because these metals affect the nervous system and, particularly in children, the nervous system is still developing.
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This was a long list of shelf-stable healthy snacks. You must, however, add fresh wholesome foods to this list, including fruits, cut-up vegetables, hummus, cheese, yogurt, eggs, etc.
Eating unhealthy snacks and junk food can disrupt your health and weight loss goals. These foods tend to be high in preservatives, additives, colorings, flavorings, different types of sugars, inflammatory fats, and excess salt. The healthier snack options in this post will help curb your craving and provide adequate nutrients. Try to add these foods to your grocery cart for next time. Remember to pay attention to their serving sizes.
