Eating healthy snacks is an opportunity to fuel your body between meals. Eating snacks with the right amount of nutrients and calories will help keep your body energized and help you lose weight. Having healthy snacks throughout the day is actually one of the best ways to avoid an expanding waistline because snacking keep your fat-burning metabolism running. Here are some of the weight-loss-friendly snacks to add to your diet:

Mixed Nuts

Mixed nuts are an ideal nutritious snack and considered the ultimate health food. Nuts are high in protein, rich in healthy fats, and low in simple carbohydrates.  They are considered weight-loss-friendly snacks because they stimulate your body to burn excess fat and shed extra pounds. Several studies suggest that eating nuts in moderation can help you lose weight. They are packed with nutrients, minerals and healthy fats that promote weight loss and give other health benefits. Nuts have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease. They may also help prevent certain cancers, depression and other diseases. Consider snacking on a small portion of mixed nuts between meals to maximize the benefits.

Greek Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt is a nutrient-packed snack that has many health benefits.  In addition to being a great source of calcium and potassium, Greek yogurt is also high in protein. When consumed in moderation, this high-protein dairy food can be part of a well-balanced, healthy weight loss meal plan. Greek yogurt is also packed with probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help boost your immune system and decrease stomach issues, such as diarrhea and pain. Choose low-fat brands of Greek yogurt because they are generally higher in protein than regular low-fat yogurt, and is an excellent source of calcium.

Fruits

Healthy weight-loss-friendly snacks do not need to be complicated. Just a single piece of fruit can be incredibly satisfying. Fruits have actually been tied to weight loss, not weight gain. But fruits not only help target belly fat, but they can also reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber and other nutrients crucial for good health.  Eating fruits for a snack can help boost satiety, satisfy a sweet craving, and decrease your desire to dig into goodies like baked goods or candy. Examples of fruit that are portable and can be eaten with almost no preparation include apples, bananas, watermelons, pears, grapes, grapefruit, and oranges.

Popcorn

Popcorn is a healthy whole grain food that is low in calories and high in fiber. Not only is popcorn high in fiber, it also provides some protein, making it a good weight-loss-friendly snack as long as you don’t smother it in butter or other high-calorie toppings. This whole-grain carbohydrate also contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, folate, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6 and vitamin A. It is a healthy snack that can be eaten daily when prepared with low-fat ingredients and can be a good alternative to other higher-calorie snacks. So, making your own popcorn at home is a healthier alternative that can help rather than hinder weight loss.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a portable, healthy snack that has had almost all of the water content removed through drying methods. The fruit shrinks during this process, leaving a small, energy-dense dried fruit. One piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as the fresh fruit but condensed in a much smaller package. Dried fruit generally contains a lot of fiber and is a great source of antioxidants, especially polyphenols which are associated with health benefits such as improved blood flow, better digestive health, decreased oxidative damage and reduced risk of many diseases.

Several studies have shown that people who eat dried fruit tend to weigh less and ingest more nutrients, compared to individuals not eating dried fruit. Studies also found that adding dried fruit to your diet probably does not promote weight gain and might be associated with weight loss. Finally, dried fruit can be preserved for much longer than fresh fruit and can be a handy snack.