People love snacks. However, our snacks have become a source of too many calories and less nutrition.

Nutritional research is showing that about 30% of daily calories come from solid fats and added sugar with little nutritional value.

Many of these empty calories come from snacks we eat and are causing increases in weight.

Individuals can change their snack eating habits by making wise choices. Snacking on high protein food with low calorie content can boost energy levels, improve nutrition and help burn excess fat.

How does eating high protein foods and low calorie food burn fat? The secret is to eat snacks in the proper proportion of nutrients and the proper number of calories.

Eating protein combined with exercise increases lean muscle mass which in turn raises your metabolic rate and burns calories. By this process, your body functions much more efficiently.

Following are ideas for 10 tasty snacks that are delicious, easy to make and low in calories:

1. Try a mix snack of an apple and add a glass of skim milk. The milk provides some protein that will keep your body system powered up for two hours or more. This satisfying snack will provide you with 10 grams of protein and only about 200 calories.
2. A prawn stack snack can be put together quickly if you keep a bag of pre-cooked prawns in your freezer. It’s a super refreshing treat when you dip the prawns in yoghurt or smashed avocado.
3. What could taste better and be more nutritious than a warm pear topped with ricotta cheese. This cheese is very rich in protein and the pears are great for providing fibre. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and you have a satisfying snack with just 170 calories and 8 grams of protein.
4. Mix up a filling of chicken, vegetable and sauce in the morning and enjoy half a piece of pita bread with the filling for two snacks during the day – only 200 calories each.
5. Make a batch of crunchy green peas for snacking throughout the day. They can be roasted and seasoned, and after roasting they have a special sweet taste.
6. Three ounces of light canned tuna spread on 5 or 6 whole-wheat crackers gives you lean protein and Omega-3 at only 200 calories. It’s a very refreshing snack.
7. Edamame is a great snack to eat with nothing added. One cup contains a whopping 17gm of protein, 8 grams of fibre and 189 calories. You can eat them hot or cold, and season with some salt. Delicious and fun to eat.
8. For those times when you want a mixed snack of dairy and fruit, go for a half pitted avocado filled with cottage cheeses. It has 9 grams of protein and 7 of fibre. It’s filling and creamy.
9. Asparagus spears and hard-boiled eggs make a wonderful combination. Fifteen spears of asparagus with one egg and you have a snack full of protein and fibre to burn that fat.
10. When you are in a hurry and need a quick snack, energy protein bars are a great choice with plenty of protein and fibre and around 200 calories.

Do you have any great snacks to add to the list? Please share in the comments below.

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