By Ho Khin Wai, Year 2, Diploma in Banking and Financial Services
The school term is starting in less than a month’s time. Oh no, the whole cycle of studying hard starts again!Are you tired of not being able to concentrate and open your eyes during lectures? Are you weary of having SOOO many assignments and just “don’t feel like doing them”, but you know you have to?
What better way to keep your focus than to munch on delicious AND healthy tidbits when you feel like you are about to doze off on your desk? Medical studies have shown that snacking (and I mean healthy snacking) can help prevent overeating, improve the quality of your diet, keep you healthy and sustain your energy throughout the day.
These four healthy snack options listed below may seem common and known to all, but surprisingly very few people eat these little tidbits and rather take-away apple pies or fries to satisfy their tummies.
Here are some important details about these snacks:
Snack Bar (Granola Bar)
Snack bars are a delicious and healthier alternative to sweets and chocolates. Each bar is usually packed with whole grains, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. There are many different types of snack bars out there in your local supermarket. If you take “power bars” or “energy bars”, however, do choose those carefully as some of them may contain lots of artificial sugar.
Some of my personal favourite snack bars are: Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars and Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars.
Nuts
Nuts are a good and nutritious snacking option. Munch on some walnuts, cashew nuts or almonds while you are feeling sleepy or hungry! Just remember, have them unsalted. They provide a good source of protein, fiber, unsaturated fats and loads of important vitamins and minerals. These nuts reduce cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of cancer development and improve heart health.
Seeds
Like nuts, seeds are also a healthy snack. They help relieve hunger or fatigue after hours of studying. Get a mix of sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds to satisfy your taste buds. Seeds are high in fiber, protein, zinc, minerals and vitamin E, which helps to keep your body disease free. Nibble away!
Fruits
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. How true! I personally do not like apples (sad to say, huh) but some fruits to bring to school to snack on may include: grapes, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, bananas and sliced melons. Blueberries are my all-time favourite. In fact, any fruit is good so long as they can retain their freshness and is not too big or difficult to carry around. Many fruits act as great antioxidants and provide essential vitamins and minerals for your body.
One great way to snack is to have a Ziploc bag containing a mixture of all of the above. Mix fresh berries or dried raisins with golden, roasted nuts and seeds to create a colorful and easy-to-prepare healthy snack. So the next time you need a snack attack, just munch on!
Photo Credits: www.christmasstockimages.com,wayne’s eye view, http://www.public-domain-image.com/,franksteiner
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 | Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard |
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