Healthy, sugar-free snack ideas

Although many people obsess about letting too much fat creep into their diet, the real culprit may actually be sugar.\n\nIt's pretty easy to find a fat-free product but it can be quite a challenge to find a food that has no sugar.\n\nOf course there the obvious sources, such as lollies, biscuits, baking and chocolate - but sugar also lurks in many unsuspecting food groups.\n\nTake bread for example. Many loaves available at your supermarket or from the local bakery are sweetened. The same goes for 'savoury' pasta sauces, table spreads and even salad dressings.\n\nOnce you start looking out for it, you realise that sugar is in a high proportion of the food we eat.\n\nNo wonder we get so addicted to sweet treats!\n\nIt may be a good idea to try to aim to eat sugar free snacks when those mid-afternoon cravings roll around. This way you can ensure that at least one of your meals is sugar-free.\n\nHere are some ideas to get you started.\n\nCrackers and hummus\n\nFive to ten crackers and some natural hummus is a great way to satiate hunger. Chickpeas carry a lot of protein and the right crackers can be a great source of essential wholegrains.\n\nOrganic peanut butter and low fat cheese\n\nTwo small slices of low fat cheddar cheese with a thin slither of organic peanut butter - with no added salt or sugar - can be a good sugar free snack.\n\nAlthough it is quite high in fat, it is also high in energy, making it perfect for studying students or busy workers. As with all food, just remember - everything in moderation!\n\nA handful of mixed, raw nuts\n\nNature has provided us with a range of delicious and nutritious nuts that are a great afternoon snack.\n\nTry to look for options that are raw, unsalted and unroasted, as this will limit your fat and sodium intake.\n\nStill craving something sweet? Try Stevia\n\nDo these ideas still not cut it? Thanks to Stevia, a sugar replacement, you don't have to give up sweet treats altogether.\n\nSimply swap out any sugar in your snacks with this plant extract - a completely natural product, it is free of aspartame and delicious to boot.\n\n