Snacking can be an integral part of anyone’s diet, but of course, indulging in processed sweets and other high sugar or high-fat foods is not the best idea if you’re trying to achieve optimal health or a slimmer waistline.
Healthy snacking can prevent overeating, as it helps to prevent you from becoming famished in-between meals and overeating at mealtimes. A nutritious snack can also help you power through a workout, as the body needs fuel for optimal performance. While everyone’s particular nutritional requirements are different depending on their goals and activities, a snack that offers the right balance of carbs, fats, and protein to satisfy hunger, fuel exercise, and aid recovery, is optimal.,
The following recipe for Peanut Butter Energy Bites is not only incredibly tasty, but it makes a great in-between meal snack when hunger pangs hit and for when you’re running low on fuel, as well as a pre- or post-workout snack.
Oats
The recipe calls for oats, which are considered to be among the healthiest grains you can consume. They’re generally gluten-free and are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, vitamin B1 and folate. They’re also loaded with antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols.
Its avenanthramides, which can only be found in oats, aid in lowering blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that works to dilate blood vessels, leading to improved blood flow.
Oats are well-known for their high soluble fiber content which is what helps you stay fuller longer. They also help promote healthy gut bacteria and even reduce blood glucose levels. Since oats are so filling, eating oats, or these oat-filled snacks may help you to eat fewer calories at your next meal, leading to weight loss. Oatmeal contains a type of fiber known as beta-glucan, that increases the feeling of fullness, and it can also help trigger the release of a hormone called PYY (peptide YY) which has been found to lead to lower calorie intake and could lower your risk of becoming obese too.
Peanut butter
The peanut butter in the recipe will provide you with both healthy fats and protein, along with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It has the ideal combination of 2 grams of fiber per serving and 8 grams of protein per serving that will fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer so that you’ll eat less overall. It has a high level of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, along with muscle-friendly potassium and bone-building magnesium too. Peanut butter’s fiber content is great for digestive health and satisfaction.
All of the fat in peanut butter is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that can actually contribute to weight loss. Whatever you do, don’t choose the low-fat version for this recipe, or any other. The calories are the same (or even a little higher) because of the extra ingredients that are added to make up for the missing fat like added sugar.
Chocolate Chips
While you probably think chocolate chips just can’t be good for you, well, you’d be wrong. They can be enjoyed in moderate amounts, and if you choose chips that contain 70 percent or more cacao, you’ll even be getting a host of health benefits. They offer tasty, quick energy as well as the ability to help control appetite, lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation and support heart health, thanks to their high level of polyphenols, including catechins and procyanidins, which have been shown to lower total cholesterol.
So rejoice, this is a snack you should feel free to indulge in occasionally, when in need of energy, or to soothe hunger pangs.
Peanut Butter Energy Bites Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp organic vanilla extract (get it here)
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter (get it here)
- ½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (get them here)
- 1 cup quick oats
- 2 tbsp honey (get it here)
Instructions:
- Gather ingredients.
- Measure them out.
- Place peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix really well.
- Now add the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to blend well.
- Form balls with the mix or use a spoon to scoop it out so they are the same size balls.