Healthy snack: mandarin orange & almonds

Since one of my goals for this year is to make 2017 the year of healthy (read about it here), I'm back today with the first suggestion for a healthy snack.

While it's true that we all love (and need) snacks, the word "snack" is more often than not associated with guilty pleasures and with things that make us fat. And that's totally wrong. There are plenty of healthy snacks available - we just need to choose wisely and moderate quantities. 

Today's healthy snack suggestion is one mandarin orange and a handful of almonds. This is perfect for a mid-morning snack, though it goes well at any time of the day, really. Personally, I'm partial to roasted almonds, but I didn't have time to roast them this morning so I just ate them raw.

Preparation time	None
Cooking time	None (unless you prefer your almonds roasted; in that case allow for 10-15 minutes of oven time)
Benefits	Mandarin oranges are rich in vitamins A, B and C and fiber, and are low in fat. They also can help preventing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Almonds are rich in fiber, vitamins B and E and several minerals. Some studies indicate they have cholesterol-lowering properties.
Calories	Mandarins: about 40 calories (though it may vary depending on sugar content) Almonds: about 576 calories/100 grams
Alternatives	I find mandarins easier to peel and eat than oranges, but you can replace then for any other citrus fruit of your choice. If you’re allergic to almonds or just don´t like them, replace them with other nuts or with dried fruits (beware of portions there, though, because dried fruits may have a higher sugar content)

As I mentioned before, I plan to focus on everything healthy in 2017, so be sure to come back for more snack suggestions, tips and recipes.

Here's to a healthy 2017!

Sources of nutrition facts: SelfNutritionData (http://nutritiondata.self.com) and Google.