4 low-calorie healthy snacks with olives that are sweet and good for your stomach

During the Chinese New Year reunion party, it is inevitable to get together to play cards and chat after the New Year's Eve dinner. At this time, the host often brings out plates of snacks, cakes, candies, candied fruits, potato chips, etc., which often make people eat one bite after another, but the calories accumulate unconsciously, and only after the New Year do you find that you have gained a lot of weight. Chinese medicine practitioners suggest that snacks such as dried fruits and vegetables, olives, seaweed, konjac, etc. can not only satisfy your cravings but also reduce calorie intake.

The sweet, astringent and sour taste of olives can stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and can help people who suffer from indigestion, abdominal bloating and stomach pain after eating a lot of meat and fish during the Chinese New Year. (Picture/taken from Hudong Encyclopedia)

Lin Shungu, a Chinese medicine practitioner at the Ren'ai branch of Taipei City United Hospital, said that the principle of choosing snacks is to choose original flavors, less processing, and less seasoning to avoid excessive sugar, salt, and seasonings that cause consumers to unconsciously consume more calories. It is recommended that if you want to eat healthily, you should first choose fruits and vegetables. If you eat them correctly, there are actually some healthy snacks that are also helpful to the body.

【Olive】

Olives, also known as oil olives, can be eaten raw, soaked in water, or made into candied fruit. The flavor of olives may come from polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory effects, improve immune function, and protect the cardiovascular system.

Dr. Lin Shungu recommends eating a moderate amount of pickled olives as a snack. Besides being low in calories, they are also sweet, astringent and sour, stimulating gastrointestinal motility. They are a great aid to digestion for people who suffer from indigestion, abdominal bloating and stomach pain after eating a lot of meat and fish during the Chinese New Year.

It also has the function of promoting salivation and quenching thirst. It can relieve dry mouth and tongue after chatting for a long time, or dry throat and dry cough caused by staying in a room with heating or electric heater on for a long time. Olives are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B1, E, niacin, etc., which are beneficial to the human body.

【Drying fruits and vegetables】

Dried vegetables are dehydrated by hot air drying or vacuum freeze drying, and generally do not contain too many seasonings. Therefore, the calories are much lower than ordinary snacks, and the taste is crispy, similar to potato chips, which is acceptable to both adults and children.

For example, the dried guava commonly seen on the market is a good choice. Guava is low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C and trace elements such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium, which can supplement the body's needs for trace elements.

Guava is sour, astringent and slightly cold in nature, making it a very good natural antidiarrheal medicine. It is especially effective for diarrhea, abdominal cramps and anal burning sensation caused by eating too much high-fat food such as spicy hot pot and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Try to choose vegetables that are freeze-dried, as they preserve more nutrients.

【Original seaweed】

Nori and kelp are also good sources of snacks. Nori is low in calories and has a diuretic and swelling-reducing effect. It is salty and cold in nature, can eliminate excess water from the body and promote the removal of lumps in the body. It has a good preventive effect on people who have edema in their feet due to sitting for a long time playing cards or chatting.

However, please note that many seaweeds are seasoned with a lot of salt. Excessive salt intake will increase blood pressure and make edema worse. It is recommended to buy low-sodium and light-flavored seaweed. There are many processed seaweeds on the market, such as those with peanuts and nuts, which will greatly increase the calories. Consumers are advised to read the nutrition label before purchasing.

【Konjac】

There are many snacks made from coconut jelly or konjac on the market. Since coconut jelly and konjac themselves are low in calories, they are very suitable as a source of low-calorie snacks. People who love to eat but are worried about their weight can buy more of them. However, when purchasing, for example, dried konjac, it is recommended to buy packaged products and reduce the purchase of bulk products. Also, avoid excessive seasoning such as spicy or hot.

Dr. Lin Shun-gu mentioned that if possible, it is recommended to eat unprocessed konjac directly so that you can ingest the special dietary fiber in it to help strengthen the stomach and intestines. He further reminded that the most important thing about snacking is to eat in moderation, share, and pair them with low-calorie snacks, so that you can eat smartly without gaining weight.