In days like these of stress it is completely logical that many of us snack a bit more than usual. It is not necessarily real hunger, but sometimes just a small need to calm down. But, it is very easy to reach a huge amount of calories. So it is important to know - you can snack the same amount of snacks, with far fewer calories, and maybe even without health damage - just choose the right things.
So no, I am not going to suggest that you snack on a plate of chopped vegetables (although I am very much in favor), but I want to show you a few examples worth paying attention to. Someone who chooses 4 cups of snacks that include: A cup of strawberries + a cup of edamame + a cup of chickpeas with salt, pepper and lemon + a cup of low-fat popcorn - will consume only about 300 calories. But a less healthy choice of those same 4 cups that include Bissli, chips, wafers and American peanuts – will contain over 1200 calories. So.. how many calories are there in "a cup of.."?
Examples of a cup of fruit (about 100–150 ml):
A cup of strawberries: About 35–40 calories
A cup of watermelon cubes: About 40–45 calories
A cup of apple pieces: – About 65–75 calories
A cup of canned pineapple (drained): About 70–85 calories
A cup of frozen berries: About 60–70 calories
A cup of banana slices: About 120–140 calories
The message here: Even within the fruit group, the same cup can range from about 35 to 140 calories.
Nuts and almonds (half a cup): *This time I am writing for half a cup because it is still an amount someone might actually snack on.
Half a cup of almonds: About 400–420 calories
Half a cup of walnuts: About 390–400 calories
Half a cup of peanuts: About 420–430 calories
Half a cup of pistachios weighed with shells: About 140 calories
A cup of dried cranberries - here comes the big gap: About 380–400 calories, because it is dried fruit.
Common snacks (a cup):
A cup of pretzel twists: About 110–130 calories
A cup of flat pretzels: About 180–200 calories (more fits in the cup)
A cup of Bissli: About 180–220 calories
A cup of cereal "pillows": About 190–210 calories
A cup of fried chips: About 280–320 calories
A cup of coated peanuts: About 350–400 calories
*These are additional examples, not related only to snacks, just so you notice what can fit into a cup.
A cup of cooked rice: About 150–170 calories
A cup of granola: About 400–450 calories
A full cup of wine: About 150–160 calories
A cup of raw tahini: About 1,400 calories
A cup of olive oil: About 1,750–1,800 calories
And toward the end, I will still suggest a healthy and very low-calorie snack - yellow bean chips!
Place yellow beans from the freezer directly on baking paper, spray with oil spray, sprinkle coarse salt, a little granulated garlic powder, bake for about 20-30 minutes, and there is an option to snack without limits instead of chips.