This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
Anyone who is trying to lose weight has probably been told to snack wisely, as eating without planning ahead can often lead to over-eating or contributing to weight gain without realizing. Eating light snacks throughout the day (while also making time for exercise and hydrating often) is a great way to nourish your body and give it much-needed energy while still aiming for healthy weight loss.
We checked in with health experts to find out which high-protein snack is most helpful for curbing cravings later on (and that can keep you fuller for longer!) Read on for tips and suggestions from registered dietitians Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD and Rebecca Schilling, RDN, LDN, who both detail what makes a snack healthy and what can keep you satiated on your weight loss journey.
READ MORE: Dietitians Agree: These 6 Weight Loss Tips Should Be Followed For Life
How Chickpeas & Hummus Serve As Filling Snacks For Weight Loss
The most delicious (yet unhealthy) snacks are typically high in salt along with calories and fat, Best explains, as all of which create a craving sensation in our minds. While avoiding processed salty foods that all too often lead to weight gain, she notes that it's important to find a replacement snack that works to do more for your overall health rather than simply curbing a craving.
Pro Tip— Add Veggies!
Luckily, the pairing of chickpeas or hummus with vegetables can offer you both— enough energy to feel satiated and full, and still the ability to provide yourself with essential vitamins and nutrients in the process. "Hummus and veggies are an excellent snack to curb salt cravings," Best says. "It will curb your physiological need for fat and salt during this time while also giving you the crunch sensation of chips." She continues, noting that hummus is made from high-protein chickpeas and "eating it as a snack can help you meet your legume needs for the day," which many find difficult to accomplish.
Schilling adds that the key to kicking cravings while trying to lose weight is not letting yourself get too hungry. "Feeling satiated between meals and snacks gives you greater self control to make wiser food choices at the following meal time," she says. Fiber, Schilling points out, is "key to keeping you fuller for longer" and therefore, lowering those pesky cravings. (Chickpeas and hummus contain high amounts of dietary fiber!)
Additionally, Schilling suggests trying to "fill your plate with extra servings of vegetables at meal times," to replace dessert with fruit and to "swap out simple carbohydrates for whole grains." Both experts mention how vital snacking decisions are when wanting to lose weight, and chickpeas/ hummus provide fiber and protein, two necessary nutrients for healthy weight loss. Add in your favorite vegetables to the mix, and you just might feel fuller for even longer, and less likely to reach for another snack later on.
