As the afternoon rolls along (or drags on, depending on your take), the office candy bowl sees an uptick in traffic. But a new study shows that it’s not sugar, but protein that you should reach for to beat an afternoon slump. The study, from the University of Cambridge in England and published in the November 2011 issue of Neuron, found that while glucose (sugar) blocks certain neurons that help you feel awake, the amino acids in protein prevent that from happening. So, if you eat some carbs at lunch, a protein-rich afternoon snack may keep you from feeling sleepy. And since protein helps keep you feeling full longer, that snack might tide you over better than a sugary one and keep you from snacking too much throughout the afternoon. Watch us make 3 low-calorie snacks BR5603.JPG Pictured: Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie 1. Smoothie Try a smoothie made with silken tofu or yogurt or this Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie. Pictured: Edamame Nibbles 2. Edamame Try eating steamed edamame with coarse salt or this recipe for Edamame Nibbles. Spiced Chickpea 3. Spiced Chickpea “Nuts” Try this flavorful, crunchy recipe for Spiced Chickpea “Nuts” Pictured: Guacamole-Stuffed Eggs 4. A Hard-Boiled Egg Try eating a hard-boiled egg-eat it plain or gussy it up: Guacamole-Stuffed Eggs. Trail Mix & Dried Fruit Pictured: Gorp 5. Trail Mix & Dried Fruit Try trail mix and dried fruit, or our healthy Gorp recipe. Pictured: Feta & Herb Dip with Crudites 6. Veggies & Hummus Try veggies and hummus or Feta & Herb Dip with Crudites Pictured: Turkey Rollups 7. Turkey Rollups Try these Turkey Rollups-Spread 2 slices of deli turkey breast with 2 teaspoons mustard (or mango chutney) each and season with pepper. Wrap each prepared turkey slice around 2 sesame breadsticks. 15 Best Foods for Heart Health 8. Plain Yogurt Plain yogurt snack makes a great snack. Try Greek yogurt, which delivers more protein than regular yogurt. Potassium Banana & Peanut Butter Banana and peanut butter together make a filling snack with lots of protein. Canned Tuna Open-Faced Tuna Sandwich Skip the two slices of bread and have an open-face tuna sandwich. Nonfat Latte 11. Nonfat Latte Sip on a nonfat latte (decaf or regular) to help you power through your afternoon slump.
As the afternoon rolls along (or drags on, depending on your take), the office candy bowl sees an uptick in traffic. But a new study shows that it’s not sugar, but protein that you should reach for to beat an afternoon slump.
The study, from the University of Cambridge in England and published in the November 2011 issue of Neuron, found that while glucose (sugar) blocks certain neurons that help you feel awake, the amino acids in protein prevent that from happening. So, if you eat some carbs at lunch, a protein-rich afternoon snack may keep you from feeling sleepy. And since protein helps keep you feeling full longer, that snack might tide you over better than a sugary one and keep you from snacking too much throughout the afternoon.
Watch us make 3 low-calorie snacks
BR5603.JPG
Pictured: Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie
- Smoothie
Try a smoothie made with silken tofu or yogurt or this Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie.
Pictured: Edamame Nibbles
- Edamame
Try eating steamed edamame with coarse salt or this recipe for Edamame Nibbles.
Spiced Chickpea
- Spiced Chickpea “Nuts”
Try this flavorful, crunchy recipe for Spiced Chickpea “Nuts”
Pictured: Guacamole-Stuffed Eggs
- A Hard-Boiled Egg
Try eating a hard-boiled egg-eat it plain or gussy it up: Guacamole-Stuffed Eggs.
Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
Pictured: Gorp
- Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
Try trail mix and dried fruit, or our healthy Gorp recipe.
Pictured: Feta & Herb Dip with Crudites
- Veggies & Hummus
Try veggies and hummus or Feta & Herb Dip with Crudites
Pictured: Turkey Rollups
- Turkey Rollups
Try these Turkey Rollups-Spread 2 slices of deli turkey breast with 2 teaspoons mustard (or mango chutney) each and season with pepper. Wrap each prepared turkey slice around 2 sesame breadsticks.
15 Best Foods for Heart Health
- Plain Yogurt
Plain yogurt snack makes a great snack. Try Greek yogurt, which delivers more protein than regular yogurt.
Potassium
Banana & Peanut Butter
Banana and peanut butter together make a filling snack with lots of protein.
Canned Tuna
Open-Faced Tuna Sandwich
Skip the two slices of bread and have an open-face tuna sandwich.
Nonfat Latte
- Nonfat Latte
Sip on a nonfat latte (decaf or regular) to help you power through your afternoon slump.
BR5603.JPG
BR5603.JPG
Spiced Chickpea
Spiced Chickpea
Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
15 Best Foods for Heart Health
15 Best Foods for Heart Health
Potassium
Potassium
Canned Tuna
Canned Tuna
Nonfat Latte
Nonfat Latte
