This is a great trail mix to keep on you at all times! It is loaded in vitamins and minerals, contains plenty of protein, and wonderful heart healthy fats!
My dad has been doing an amazing job losing weight by living a healthier lifestyle. So one thing we wanted to do for him was include something healthy in his birthday gift since we are so proud of all the success he has had. And this was the perfect healthy snack! He is always on the go and extremely busy at work, so I knew prepackaging his trail mix would be a great idea.
These containers are BPA-free 1 cup containers which help to monitor portion size as well as make your snack portable.
So to get started making your trail mix, here is what you’ll need!
INGREDIENTS:
- Almonds, unsalted
- Walnuts, unsalted (halved)
- Edamame
- Cherries, dried
- Banana chips
- Apple chips (home made)
- Peanuts, unsalted
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly! And done!
So now lets talk about the health benefits of each food.
ALMONDS: Almonds are a great source of vitamin E and assist in lowering cholesterol. They also may be helpful in lowering your risk for colon cancer! Heart healthy fats can also be found in almonds which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are also used as a common protein source containing about 7.5 g protein, 207 calories, 18 g fat (1.4 g being saturated fat), 97 mg of magnesium, 96 mg calcium, 9.2 mg vitamin E for the serving size of 1/4 cup.
WALNUTS: Walnuts are loaded in antioxidants that help fight against free radicals that damage our cells. As listed above with the almonds, walnuts also fall into the category of lowering cholesterol and promoting heart health. Walnuts in a 1/4 cup serving will provide: 193 calories, 7.5 g protein, 18.5 g fat (1.1 g being saturated fat), 19 mg calcium and 163 mg potassium.
EDAMAME: Edamame is a young soy bean that has not hardened yet. Since most soy is genetically modified in the US, I suggest making sure your soy is organic or Non-GMO Project verified. Edamame provides lots of great nutrients like vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. And for 1/2 cup you get about 65 calories and 6 g protein. It also adds a nice crunch to your trail mix!
CHERRIES: Dried cherries can add that sweet taste to your trail mix. They are a good source of vitamin C and A as well as copper! For 1/2 cup serving, you can expect about 133 calories and 0.5 g protein.
BANANAS: Bananas can be a double edged sword. They contain a lot of great nutrients, but are also very starchy. In one small banana you can expect about 90 calories, 1 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 362 mg potassium and 8.8 mg vitamin C. This is why I use just a few banana chips within my trail mix.
APPLES: Granny smith apples are an excellent way to get fiber in the diet (keeping the skin on)! These apples whole have been shown to help improve gut bacteria. And not to mention, “a high intake of white fruits and vegetables was found to be associated with a 52% lower risk of developing stroke, compared to a low intake,” says a study from the Journal of the American Heart Association. This would include apples and pears! Another reason to add more apples to the diet!
PEANUTS: Peanuts are another nut that provide good heart healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They do have more saturated fat (2.3 g per 1/4 cup) than the nuts listed above, but are still considered an excellent food to provide protein (9.4 g per 1/4 cup), 34 mg calcium, 1.2 mg zinc, 4.4 mg niacin and 3 mg vitamin E. For the 207 calories per 1/4 cup, one does stay satisfied having these for a snack.
Now you know why I choose what I choose for my trail mixes. If you know of anyone that struggles with healthy snacks, please share by using the social media icons below! Thanks!
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