Two nutritional components to look for when it comes to smart snacking are protein and whole grains. Protein helps our bodies build and repair muscle tissue and helps you feel fuller, longer. This is partly because protein reduces your body’s level of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and boosts levels of peptide YY, a hormone that makes you feel full.
Whole grains are important because they contain all three parts of a grain: the bran, endosperm, and the germ. Among the many nutritional benefits of eating a whole grain snack is increased amounts of fiber. Fiber is not only important for keeping your digestive system clean but can also help increase that full, satisfying feeling you want from eating a snack.
With so many healthy snack options to choose from nowadays, it can feel overwhelming to sift through all of them to find smart snacks made with protein and whole grains. To make it easier, Kodiak Cakes Crunchy Granola Bars are made with 100% whole grain ingredients like all of their products. They also boast 10 grams of protein per serving and plenty of fiber to help satisfy your hunger and keep you full until dinnertime.
Not only do Crunchy Granola Bars make a great snack on their own, but they can also be used as an important ingredient to supplement other snack recipes, too. One of my favorites is simply crushing a Crunchy Granola Bar over yogurt or a bowl of oatmeal. Check out the recipes below: