14 Heart-Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
These snacks are not only healthy and delicious. They also include at least 3 grams of fiber per serving from ingredients like fruit, whole grains, legumes and nuts, all of which can help support your heart health and healthy digestion. Plus, these nutritious recipes are less than 200 calories per serving, have low counts of saturated fat and sodium, making them heart-healthy and low-calorie choices that can help support weight loss if that is your goal. Recipes like our Baked Blueberry & Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups and Cranberry-Almond Energy Balls are light and satisfying options that will keep you feeling fueled between meals.
Baked Blueberry & Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups
Muffins meet oatmeal in these moist and tasty grab-and-go oatmeal cups. The nutty flavor of the pecans and the sweetness from fresh blueberries and banana make for an extra-tasty snack or breakfast. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your fridge or freezer for quick and easy breakfasts all week. Reheat in the microwave for about 40 seconds. This healthy muffin recipe is a variation on our popular Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups by Carolyn Casner.
Pistachio & Peach Toast
This breakfast is great when you have leftover ricotta cheese--plus it comes together in just 5 minutes.
Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
With a pinch of cinnamon, this healthy snack goes from basic to brilliant.
Carrot & Banana Muffins
Packed with flavorful and wholesome ingredients, these carrot-banana muffins make a good snack or breakfast.
Cranberry-Almond Energy Balls
These energy balls are the perfect make-ahead snack. Filled with cranberries, almonds, oats and dates, these energy balls come together in minutes. Maple syrup and tahini help bind everything together while adding a touch of sweetness and bitterness.
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Flaxseed meal, which develops a gelatinous texture when mixed with water, replaces the eggs and provides structure to this moist, flavorful loaf.
Blueberry-Pecan Energy Balls
Dried blueberries and pecans team up with cacao nibs for a chocolaty treat any time of day. The cacao is a bit more bitter than chocolate, but the maple syrup helps tame it. Almond butter and chia seeds provide protein to make these bites substantial snacks to fuel your body.
Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies
Kefir is similar to yogurt, full of gut-friendly probiotics. But it has fewer carbs and a more drinkable consistency--perfect for smoothies.
Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Chickpeas
Roasting canned chickpeas until crispy makes a simple and healthy snack. In this riff on candied nuts, chickpeas are coated with cinnamon sugar to make them irresistible! This snack is best enjoyed the day it is made.
Blueberry-Lemon Energy Balls
If you're looking for a midday pick-me-up, these irresistible blueberry-lemon balls come together in minutes and make a perfect on-the-go snack. Walnuts add a boost of plant-based protein and help keep you energized, while a bit of maple syrup adds sweetness
Jonathan Perno's Spiced Candied Pecans
At home or at Campo, the restaurant he oversees at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, chef Jonathan Perno likes to welcome guests with spiced New Mexican pecans. You won't see this in most spiced-nut recipes, but Perno blanches them to reduce some of the bitter tannins in the skin that can sometimes overwhelm the pecans' delicate flavor.
Avocado & Salsa Cracker
Avocado and salsa team up for a zesty Southwest-inspired topping on a whole grain crispbread. This snack is packed with fiber, veggies, and healthy fats, and it takes just minutes to put together.
Air-Fryer Crispy Chickpeas
Air-fried chickpea snacks are intensely flavored and incredibly crunchy. Drying the chickpeas is essential to a good crunch, so don't skip this step. If you have time, leave them out on the counter to dry for an hour or two before frying.
Everything Bagel Microwave Popcorn
Full of umami-rich flavors inspired by the classic bagel, this easy popcorn snack is sure to make your mouth water.
