Beauty snacking: what I munch on for beauty sake

I need to snack really often, almost like every two hours or so. Sometimes it’s hunger but most of the time, it’s just a craving for stuff in my mouth. I used to munch on junk food, such as Kit Kat, potato chips, prawn crackers, salted prunes and sweets. However, since going through my first detox, I realized the need to eliminate these unhealthy snacks. In fact, I stopped snacking for a period of time and it was literally, just to save my skin because my poor snacking habit was contributing to my breakouts then! Right now, I’m back to snacking again but this time, I’ve picked up some healthier alternatives that contain less sugar and salt content to keep my mouth and skin happy.

Sugar fix
Somehow, I need to munch on sweet stuff but thank goodness I don’t fancy pastries. The thing about sugar is they can cause wrinkles and leathery looking skin too because sugar hastens the breakdown of collagen and elastin. So how do I keep my sweet craving happy now? Well, for awhile, I was binging on my son’s sweets but I’ve since, hehe…come to my senses. Currently, my regular snacks are pitted prunes and raisins. They’re naturally sweet without the addition of processed sugar and prunes are actually great for my digestive system because they’re a good source of fiber.

Dark chocolate absorbs UV light
Occasionally, you’ll find me popping cherry tomatoes as snacks too but I usually prefer them in my salads. As for my chocolate fix, I now go for those with at least 65% cocoa content because those with high sugar and milk content totally break me out. They’re bitter all right but they do have an exquisite taste. And apparently, the darker the chocolate, the better they are for our skin as research has shown that women given half-cup of special extra-flavonoid-enriched cocoa every day for three months turned up with moister, smoother, and less scaly and red skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. The researchers think the flavonoids, which absorb UV light, help protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance (source).

Popping grains of whole brown rice
Rice thins are a new snack I’ve been munching on. They’re a replacement of my chips and they’re definitely a healthier alternative because these are made from grains of whole brown rice and they come with a subtle and delicate flavour – great to taste even without any toppings. The best part is they’re fat free, GMO and gluten free. Going by the ingredients of wholegrain brown rice (99%), sunflower oil, sea salt, natural herb extract, I’ll say they’re pretty natural.

Inspire me
Okay, I need more snacking ideas and so I’m keen to know if snacking is your thing too? Do you snack as often as I do and what do you like to munch on mostly? If you have a healthy snack to recommend, I’ll certainly like to know!

Comments

  1. frugalistar says:

    I am snacking on almonds right now!

  2. xin says:

    i don’t usually snack but when i do, i crave for those really unhealthy stuff! eg chips or fried banana fritters. so my solution is – keep nothing on my work desk. i will be too lazy to get the fix and eventually ignoring my craving. i love dark chocolate too!
    xin last post is: Your Say: Inner beauty…worth splurging for?

  3. Carrie says:

    I love dark chocolates too!! Especially when they are 70% or over <3 At the moment my favourite munching snacks are grapes, cheeries or apples ? At times I also feel like macademia (rather expensive though…) or almonds if I am really hungry!!

  4. Ruth M says:

    Carrots, dried cranberries for my sugar fix and green tea with honey and lemon when i need a sugary drink ?

  5. Jyoan says:

    I buy a whole big bag of roasted plain almonds. And I eat that all the time. At most 22 almonds a day.

    I like prunes too, like you. And yes, I have a stash of 85%-90% Cocoa chocolate. I love dark chocolates.

    I don’t usually snack actually.
    Jyoan last post is: FOTD + Review of Benefit They’re Real Mascara – Really Good???

  6. TheUndercoverGypsy says:

    Ants on a log! My favourite snack – slather some organic peanut (or your preferred nut) butter on celery, drop a few raisins (I like dried cranberries too) on top and enjoy.

  7. Jesslyn says:

    I used to like munching on chips, cookies etc. However since I started drinking green smoothies, somehow I no longer have the cravings on junk food anymore! If I really am desperate, I would go for this : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WZ4EIS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i12. It is tasty! Otherwise, fruits can satisfy cravings for sweet stuff.

  8. stella says:

    almonds, macadamias, dried mango, fresh fruit?

  9. Lucia says:

    I snack on peanuts and dried mangoes. I also sometimes snack on fresh fruits –banana, apple and the like. I am currently loving milk tea right now! not too healthy, i think, but i’m addicted! Your thoughts on milk tea with pearls?

  10. EcoBeauty says:

    When I’m in a healthy mode, I snack on nuts, quinoa crackers, veggies, fruits, dark chocolate, vegan bars, organic peanut and choco crackers, etc..

    BUT recently, since I haven’t been drinking smoothies, my cravings for sweets are peaking. Cakes, chocolates, cakes and chocolates… cakes, chocolates.. cakes…
    EcoBeauty last post is: Wash Your Hair Backwards and be Silly…NOT!

  11. Kookith says:

    I munch on cereal when I get peckish… it’s healthy and a good substitute for chips! Post has a really good cereal range. Try the Cranberry and Almond one, dried cranberries are sweet too ?
    Kookith last post is: Blog Spotlight: The Beauty Department

  12. liyan says:

    fresh fruits! grapes/oranges/guava. an occasional laughing cow (moohahaha!) on toast. yums

  13. Sesame says:

    That’s something I hardly snack on. I must try to get some. Do you have a brand to recommend?

  14. Sesame says:

    I used to be like that…especially like those sour stuff with high salt content! Very bad. I can’t not snack when I work…somehow my sugar craving goes up when I need to think a lot. ?

  15. Sesame says:

    Those I consider fruits and eat them as desserts…haha…but macademia is lovely!

  16. Sesame says:

    Dried mango is nice but I haven’t eaten them for a long time. Okay, salivating at the thought of them now.

  17. Sesame says:

    I love peanuts too but I haven’t been eating the healthier versions though. Milk tea with pearls are okay once in a while but not too excessively cos I believe they contain sugar and the milk is not too good for those who are acne prone. If you drink it cold, that’s like not too great for the body if you subscribe to TCM.

  18. Sesame says:

    Somehow I don’t really like vegan bars – is there a particular brand you go for? What are quinoa crackers? Must keep an eye for them.

    I do eat cakes sometimes but I really try to avoid them as far as possible.

  19. Sesame says:

    Cereal? Ah…I used to do that too! I can imagine the cranberry ones are great tasting!

  20. Sesame says:

    Guava! I love them and used to eat them with a lot of the sweet sour powder. Yeah, not healthy I know but I enjoyed the taste. Laughing cow is cheese?

  21. Sesame says:

    Oh smoothies reduce cravings on junk food? That’s interesting. I think when you start out on a healthy diet, chances are, you can’t take in the junk anymore. As for fruits, I somehow don’t snack on them but I eat them after a meal or maybe I should say they’re part of a meal. And I love seaweed sheets too! Do snack on them occasionally. ?

  22. Sesame says:

    Wow, that sounds interesting! I’ve never come across celery with peanut butter but I do like celery dipped in thousand island cream.

  23. Sesame says:

    I’ve been thinking of almonds but wonder if I would like plain ones. Is there a brand you buy?

  24. Sesame says:

    Dried cranberries! Okay, going to look for that soon. ?

    And yes, green tea with honey and lemon is great – in fact, I love the taste of green tea with honey in the mornings.

  25. liyan says:

    yup. its a cheese spread from france. available in supermarkets. like like philadelphia cream cheese, tastier ?

  26. Mai says:

    Lundberg have healthy alternatives t0 chips made fr0m br0wn rice & they c0mes in different flav0rs. I als0 like y0g00d muesli bar which c0ntains less than 100 cal & they r n0t as sweet as 0ther brands. Pistachi0s are n0t 0nly nice t0 munch 0n but als0 l0w in cal. 

  27. stella says:

    jumping in; if bugis is a convenient location for you, there are many dried fruit/nuts wholesalers on the second floor of the hawker centre just opposition the famous kwan im thong hood cho temple. prices are very competitive, my mom goes there often; i don’t know the operating hours tho’

  28. Mae, Team ETSIS says:

    Oh my god, Sesame, we love this… we love that you do your research along with playful things that you do for yourself.

    Beauty Snacking, why can’t glossies talk more about this?

    Aloha,
    Mae, Team ETSIS

  29. Jesslyn says:

    I am hooked to drinking green smoothies now! It definitely helps clearing up my acne ?

  30. Swati says:

    I love dark chocolate ? it takes time to get used to it…an acquired taste but is really awesome. I love nuts with dark chocolates too.
    Swati last post is: Black Pepper to cover Gray Hair {Reader’s Tip}

  31. Hazel says:

    Wow this is a very interesting blog post! What’s in dark chocolates that make them good for the skin not becoming red when under the sun? I always turn pink or red but i’m a bit tanned anyway, not pale. Cause i’m filipino. I’m so conscious about my skin turning a diff. color whenever i wear makeup (it oxidizes lah).

    I love munching on prunes and raisins too! Like, i bring boxes of sunmaid to snack on and then when friends ask and they want to eat i say i have raisins and they’re like, “bleh”. More for me then!
    Hazel last post is: Weekly Reads #01

  32. Sesame says:

    Because the cocoa contains flavonoid, an antioxidant and that’s also found in green tea, vegetables and red wine.

    I just ran out of raisins and prunes too! ?

  33. Sesame says:

    Yeah, a bit bitter right but like you’ve pointed out, it’s an acquired taste.

  34. Sesame says:

    @Jesslyn: That’s great! I still cannot get myself to drink green smoothies.

  35. Sesame says:

    Glad you enjoyed this.

  36. Sesame says:

    @stella: Ah…I know where! I used to get some stuff from there. I remember my mom used to get some “exotic preserved fruits” there too. Will check it out the next time I get there. Thanks!

  37. Sesame says:

    Oh ok, I know the brand! They’re healthy? I have no idea cos I find it a bit hard to read some of the food labels or rather, don’t understand them fully. I’ll check them out the next time…thanks!

  38. Sesame says:

    I remember now…I got it for my son and it’s very tasty. But I can’t take much of it cos cheese breaks me out.

  39. Destiny7 says:

    I recently discovered lemon pistachios…they take some time to open and eat them, which slows down snacking.

  40. Audris says:

    Nuts, dark chocolate and organic soy drinks are my usual snacks, if I do snack at all. I only snack on weekends when I have more free time. When I’m at work… I’m usually too occupied to even bother reaching out for food, for some weird reason!
    Audris last post is: Diving at Padang Bai

  41. Sesame says:

    I need snacks when I work as I get hungry very easily at work! ?

  42. Sesame says:

    Lemon pistachios? Wow, they sound delicious to me.

  43. Sarah @ Eat Live Austin says:

    I love homemade LaraBars. Mix 1 part medjool dates with 1 part nuts in a food processor and shape into bars. As long as you keep it to half dried fruit half nut you can do whatever you want! My favorite is medjool dates, raisins, cashews, and almonds. Sometimes I toss a little shredded coconut in there too. Mmmmm

  44. Sesame says:

    LaraBars? I’ve never heard of it but it sounds yummy. Going to google more about medjool dates now.

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