Tea-time is perhaps one of the most relaxing times. Not just the tea, we also look forward to those scrumptious tea-time snacks that add flavor to our Indian cup of ‘chai’. And yet, in our on-going struggles to lose weight, we end up falling prey to fad diets and low calorie snacks and replace the old and wise delicacies.
The key to healthy and consistent weight loss, nutritionists say, is to make small measured changes in the lifestyle. One such small change could be your tea-time snacks. Here are a few healthy alternatives to replace those cookies to help hasten your weight loss and also help you achieve your health goals.
Tea-Time Snacks: What not to eat
Before we share healthy alternatives, here are a few tea time snacks that you should avoid. Remember, the tea – time here refers to evening tea. Nutritionists recommend that evening tea consumed latest by 4 pm and not later than 5 pm. This is because tea might hamper with your body’s hunger signs for dinner. Also, the acidic nature of tea can cause gastric concerns.
Around 4 is also the time when we are not yet ready for dinner but crave some little snack. Often these are filled by biscuits, cookies, sandwiches and even cakes. Fruits are also better avoided with evening tea. Apart from this, any ‘snack’ whether diet or otherwise that comes in a packet should be avoided. These products are high in salts and sugar which add excess calories, upset the osmotic balance of the body, which could lead to bloating.
Note: Cookies or biscuits, even the crackers or multi-grain and sugar free variants, are not healthy.
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Tea-Time Snacks: Healthy Alternatives
Home cooked snacks like Chakli, besan dhokla, Khakra, roasted nuts like almonds, foxnuts or makhana and even Ragi dosas are an excellent alternatives. What one needs to remember though is the quantity. When talking about nuts, a small bowl of foxnuts lightly roasted is an excellent snack. Crunchy and a rich source of calcium, these are perfect for people, especially diabetics and people suffering from Hypothyroidism.
Apart from these, sprouted moong dal chat, dal chila or even ragi dosa if you are particularly hungry can be a good alternative. If you crave bread, a toasted slice of atta bread with light butter is also an alternative, though not preferred.
Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar also recommends home cooked fresh snacks that are local. She reaffirms that the bhajiya made at home is healthier than the ‘diet snacks’ available in the marker. The biggest reason for the same is that freshly cooked Indian snacks are rich in nutrients, low in salt and sugar. So, start your weight loss journey with these small changes in your diet and see the result. Needless to say, moderation is key. For instance, if chakli is healthy, one must be mindful to eat only a small portion which is about one or two. Eating 5 or 10 chakli would be counter-productive.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
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