The key to keeping energy up when you have to go a lot of hours without food is to pick the right snacks. Unfortunately, they can be hard to find.
Snack machines dispense nothing but sugar and processed carbs, such as pretzels, and fast food is no better. (Airports used to be the worst of all, but that’s actually changing!) Running out to get a bagel, or grabbing a high-sugar low-fat muffin at the coffee emporium, is no solution and only adds to the problem of energy drain later in the day.
Fortunately, with just a little planning, you can create fantastic snacks that will keep you blood sugar stable, give you sustained energy for the afternoon (or evening), and keep your motor running smoothly and in high gear for hours.
Read on for three of my faves.
ENERGY SNACK #1: CELERY AND ALMOND BUTTER
Although I chose almond butter for this example, any one of the organic nut butters, such as walnut or cashew, for example, would work just as well. So would peanut butter (provided you don’t buy the commercial kind that is loaded with sugar and trans fats). Even manufacturers are getting hip to how terrific peanut butter tastes on celery sticks; in Los Angeles, Trade Joe’s now carries ready-made packs of celery sticks with a little tub of peanut butter for dipping.
Nut butters taste great smeared on some celery sticks or apple slices. The total calories are reasonable, and the nutrient density is terrific. It’s energy in a pack, whether you buy it in the store or make it yourself and carry it with you!
ENERGY SNACK #2: WHEY PROTEIN SHAKE
Whey protein powder is one of the most absorbable sources of protein on the planet. In addition to providing all the goodness of high-quality protein, whey protein helps the body make more of the master antioxidant glutathione, which is critical for detoxification. It also helps protect the immune system. Both systems need to be working properly for your energy to be at its peak.
Whey contains all the amino acids a body needs in the best possible balance. It is easily my favorite form of protein powder. But not all whey protein is created equal. Although whey protein isolate is marginally higher in protein, it’s frequently a distinction without a difference. Well-made concentrates, including my favorites, PaleoMeal and Whey Cool, are excellent choices, the latter especially because it comes from grass-fed cows, is pesticide-free, contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors, and is fortified with a plethora of nutrients, including omega-3s.
They beauty of the why protein shake as an energy pick-me-up is that you can make it a million different ways, from a low-calorie, bare-bones, midday energy booster to a full-out meal substitute. My favorite between-meals blood sugar stabilizer is to mix a scoop of PaleoMeal, Whey Cool, or other whey protein power with water and a cup of frozen blueberries. The blueberries and flavor and creaminess, and the fact that they’re frozen makes the result taste more like a shake. Bonus energy points: some high-quality cacao powder, such as Sunfood’s cacao.
ENERGY SNACK #3: HUMMUS
Hummus makes a great energy snack and can be spread on celery just as easily as any nut butter. (You can also spread it on high-fiber whole-grain bread, but you might want to save the carbs and extra calories).
Human travels surprisingly well in a small resealable container, and it’s so easy even I can make it. There’s a wealth of great recipes on www.about.com’s guide to Middle Eastern food, but here’s one of my favorites from about.com’s own Saad Fayed:
Hummus
1 can (16 ounce, or 475 ml) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
¼ cup (60ml) liquid from canned chickpeas
3 to 5 tablespoons (45 to 75 ml) lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons (30 g) tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
Drain the chickpeas and set aside the liquid from the can. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice to taste, tahini, garlic, salt, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Add the liquid form the chickpeas. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes on low until thoroughly combined and smooth.
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