We all know junk food when we see it—those delicious snacks that provide an instant rush, but ends with a really sad and crappy comedown. Although it’s easy to say that from now on you’ll lead a healthy life and avoid all types of junk foods, it’s hard to apply this in real life. Junk food cravings are real and can quickly get out of hand. You may vow to avoid french fries forever only to find yourself breaking your promise when you walk by your nearest McDonald’s. But, sometimes you need it, so here are 5 junk foods you can eat without feeling guilty.
In an interview with The Huffington Post, nutritionist Karina Heinrich offers a more realistic solution to your junk food addiction:
“Instead of fighting your craving, just feed it with a healthier version. There are many brands that are redefining the junk food scene, making needed strides with real ingredient innovation, so what we traditionally think of as ‘junk food’ can now actually be considered healthy.”
Check out 5 junk foods that will satisfy your cravings and not make you feel sick afterwards:
Popcorn
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Popcorn is a legend among those who diet and who struggle with improving their eating habits. It’s crunchy, filling, and most importantly delicious, satisfying your cravings. If you’d like to be really healthy with the popcorn you consume, purchase Skinny Pop, Buddha Bowl Himalayan Pink Organic Popcorn, and other brands that are health conscious. Avoid old school microwave popcorn and cheesy options; these tend to pack sugar, fat, salt and vegetable oil.
Ice cream
Although no one should have ice cream every day, nutritionists say there are some nutrients like calcium and protein in a serving. For healthier results forgo Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s. Purchase some of the healthy ice cream options available in your supermarket. They might be less tasty but they contain more vitamins and probiotics.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate has low amounts of sugar and healthy servings of fiber and proteins, so it’s a really good and healthy snack. It’s also so strong that if you train yourself, it’ll quickly satisfy your cravings with a few bites.
Ramen
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The main problem with ramen is in the seasoning packet, which contains large amounts of salt and sodium. There are several healthy options of ramen noodles, like Original Top Ramen and Lotus Foods. If you want to be even healthier, prepare your ramen soup from scratch, adding in veggies and creating your own seasoning with low sodium soy sauce, miso and sea salt.
Healthy potato chips
There are dozens of healthy potato chips out there that you haven’t tried because you’re prejudiced against them. Read the labels and try to steer clear from chips that contain MSG, a compound that’s linked with weight gain, headaches and allergic reactions.
So, you can feast on these 5 junk foods you can eat without feeling guilty.
