Healthy Vegan Snacks: Kale Chips, Chewy Banana bites and Hemp Seeds!
 
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Healthy Vegan Snacks you will love! :) Kale Chips, Banana Bites & Hemp Seeds

I'm always searching for healthy snacks. But many are full of empty calories, strange ingredients, and lack the nutrients that our bodies want. And I love living a healthy and active lifestyle, so choosing nourishing, body optimizing snacks is even more important.

Snacks

So here are some of my fav's when it comes to healthy vegan snacks:

Brad's Raw Leafy Kale (Kale Chips):

I often work long hours in the computer... And something about these long stressful hours make me want to eat more than I should... So thank heavens for kale chips! Without them, I'd definitely be carrying around some extra luggage, lol. And they support your body in so many ways!


Kale is full of beneficial plant compounds
(i.e. glucosinolates, isothiocyanates) that support your detoxification pathways, even at a genetic level! It's also packed with a variety of phytonutrients that protect your body from cancer. Kale is just awesome... It's low in calories and packed with nutrients.

Now, I have to admit, my taste buds wouldn't pick steamed kale as a first choice snack. But kale is unbelievable tastey when made into kale chips!

Kale chips are the tastiest way of getting more kale into your diet. There's really nothing better when you need something to snack on. They literally taste better to me than even potato chips!!! And the best part is that they don't affect your waistline! (Not to mention the damaged & trans fatty acids that are found in fried foods in general).

And don't be fooled, not all kale chips are created equal. We liked Brad's Raw Leafy Kale because it doesn't contain nutritional yeast, the natural flavor enhancing cousin of MSG. Though the debate surrounding nutritional yeast is ongoing, our philosophy is this: Why use it when you can make a tasty snack without it? Brad's does a great job with this. ;)

 

Kale Chips

Overall: Crunchy and savory snack... Low in calories and packed with nutrients.

VSG Function: Detoxification. Rich in detox supporting and anti-cancer compounds.

 

 

Barnana (Chewy Banana Bites):


Monkey's love em... Athletes need them... But many don't know how creative you can be with them. We're talking about the humble banana!


Bananas are known for being rich in potassium. This mineral is critical for your body to function properly, especially your muscles in the case of athletes. But even if you are a weekend warrior, or would just like to be an active person, getting enough potassium in your diet is super important.

Now bananas can be super tasty on their own... and they're a critical component of many smoothies... But with bananas especially (just a personal thing), I'm always looking for other ways to get them in my diet.

Where I grew up (Brazil), bananas are often made into a chewy type of candy. I always loved these as a kid, but I always wished that they had less sugar, or no extra sugar at all! So when I found out about Barnana, I was super excited!

Barnana takes bananas, and dehydrates them into a chewy delicious snacks. And the best thing... their original flavor contains nothing but Bananas! (and water, which is ok in my book, lol). These are great for before and after workouts (especially running), to replenish your potassium and glycogen stores in your body. They're especially handy when you'll be sweating a lot (potassium can be lost through sweat).

The best thing is that they are all organic, non-gmo, vegan, and use natural, unrefined ingredients.

And if you want some healthy sweets, they also make them with coconut, as well as in chocolate and peanut butter covered versions also. You can satisfy your sweet tooth and get your nutrition too ;)

And as we talk about in the VSG, bananas are one of the best vegan sources for vitamin B6 to power your brain also!

 

Barnana: Chewy Banana Snacks

Overall: A sweet and chewy snack... especially good before workouts, long hikes, and active days in hot weather.


VSG Function: Athlete and Brain (Serotonin & Dopamine). Great source of potassium and Vitamin B6 for your muscles and brain.

 

30% off discount code:
BarnanaCrazy
Visit:
barnana.myshopify.com

 

Awesome flavors!

Original! (vegan)
Coconut (vegan)

Chocolate (vegetarian)
Peanut Butter (vegetarian)

The "natural glaze" ingredient in the chocolate and peanut butter flavors contains some honey.

Hemp Seeds (we like Nutiva):

Hemp, the non psychoactive cousin of Mary Jane is making it's return as a versatile super-crop. Best of all, its seeds are also a nutritious and tasty super food!

Hemp seed is a uniquely wonderful ingredient for many reasons. It's rich in protein and contains a unique distribution of super healthy fats. Best of all, it's yummy :)

Unlike many foods in the modern diet, hemp seeds have one of the most balanced ratios of Omega 6 to 3 fatty acids around...about 3:1. And some of this Omega 6 comes in a special anti-inflammatory form called GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid). Hemp seed is also rich in easily digested plant protein, especially important for athletes and active people.

Hemp seeds make a great snack... but they're also super versatile as a topping and as a recipe ingredient also. I often add them to dried fruits and (vegan) yogurts because the fats slow down the digestion of sugar. This helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes. We also used hemp seeds in a VSG Athlete recipe with quinoa. It adds even more protein and gives it a richness that quinoa alone doesn't have.

But a quick reminder, Omega 3&6 fatty acids are very sensitive to oxidation from heat and oxygen exposure. That's why we especially like Nutiva Organic Hempseed because they're packed in a way that prevents damage to the delicate fatty acids. They should also be eaten raw, so be sure to mix them into recipes after they're done cooking!

 

Hemp Seeds

Overall: A rich and tasty snack/ ingredient that's super nutritious. Especially good for maintaining blood sugar balance.

VSG Function: Athlete. Rich in protein and cell supporting Omega fatty acids.

 

Have you tried any of these? What are your favorite vegan snacks? Let me know...

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