Almonds and dark chocolate ‘are good in-between meal snacks’

Dieters who are bored of fruit and are looking for a good snack to have between meals should opt for dark chocolate or almonds, according to a nutritionist and dietician.

Amanda Ursell, writing in the Times, claimed that fruit is a healthy snack as it is low in calories, but she also recognised that it does not satisfy cravings or keep away hunger pangs as well as other foods.

In the search for a compromise, Ms Ursell recommended dark chocolate and almonds.

Dark chocolate contains “potentially heart-friendly super-nutrients” as well as a type of fat called stearic acid.

She added that it is also harder, more dense and takes more time to digest than milk chocolate, meaning it stays in the stomach for longer.

As for almonds, Ms Ursell labelled them an “interesting snack choice”, citing studies that have shown that swapping snacks for a handful of almonds can lead to weight loss.

“This is partly down to their hunger-beating qualities,” she wrote.

According to nutsforalmonds.com, almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other nutrients which could help to protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

What’s your favourite in-between meal snack?