(Jun 27, 2007) With a market flooded with delicious — and unhealthy — snack foods, it can be hard to find tasty and reasonably priced alternatives. Flavourless rice cakes aside, what’s out there that isn’t full of artery clogging saturated fats, barrels of salt or tons of unrefined sugars?

Go for the real foods
When looking for those healthier alternatives, Dr. Jonny Bowden, a board certified nutritionist and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, suggests you choose snacks relatively low in calories (under 200), not fried (no potato chips), with at least 5 grams of protein and made with whole foods.” Read the nutritional and ingredients label and avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup and trans fatty acids. Be wary of the No Trans Fat label. “Even if [an ingredient] says ’partially hydrogenated’ it contains trans fats, no matter what the label says,” said Dr. Bowden.
 

Our number one choice
Chocolate is high up on the list for snack food. Relax…dark chocolate, in moderation, is a great way to treat the sweet tooth and provide some solid health benefits. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, not only can dark chocolate “help lower blood pressure” but the antioxidants in dark chocolate can “gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.” Researchers at American Heart Association even report dark chocolate can “improve insulin resistance.” Whenever you can look for fair-trade, organic chocolate with at least 65 percent cocoa. You’ll find it more satisfying that that sugar-laden bar you picked up at gas station and you’ll be less likely to gorge.

With any healthy snack, it’s important to watch your portion size because any healthy snack can turn into an unhealthy choice quickly. “Even if you’re eating great food, calories still count. Junk foods and those healthy snacks high in carbs and low in protein and fat, can still raise blood sugar and insulin which sets you up for fat storage,” said Dr. Bowden.

Jason Antebi is a freelance writer in Los Angeles, CA and the Executive Producer of the nationally syndicated talk show Women Aloud with Mo Gaffney and Shana Wride on the Greenstone Media Network.