Introduction: Office workers, spending long hours at their desks, often find themselves feeling drowsy, hungry, or simply craving a snack. Therefore, today, the editor of the iMei Health Channel thoughtfully recommends 8 essential office snacks for the OL (Office Lady) crowd. These snacks will not only satisfy your cravings with delicious flavors but also boost your spirits, allowing you to start your work day full of vitality.
Psychologists believe that, in nature, the mechanism behind snacking is the same as that of self-soothing behaviors. The purpose of eating snacks is not only to satisfy hunger but also to alleviate stress and resolve internal conflicts. When food comes into contact with the oral skin, it can transmit sensory information to the brain's central nervous system through the skin nerves, providing a sense of comfort and helping to eliminate inner loneliness through contact with external objects. On the other hand, when the mouth touches food and performs chewing and swallowing movements, it can shift a person's focus away from tension and anxiety. This creates another area of excitement in the brain's feeding center, inhibiting tense and excited emotions, and ultimately leading to physical and mental relaxation.
Sitting in a dull office space for seven or eight hours is not easy, especially when you also have to think. To reduce work pressure or to keep your mind sharp, the brain needs timely nutritional supplements, and the small snacks in your drawer can play a role.
1. Peanuts
Can prevent skin diseases. Peanuts are rich in Vitamin B2, which is one of the vitamins that is often lacking in the daily diet of the Chinese population. Therefore, consciously eating more peanuts can not only supplement the deficiency of Vitamin B2 in the daily diet but also help prevent various diseases such as chapped lips, red and itchy eyes, and seborrheic dermatitis.
2. Walnuts
Can promote strong nails. Walnuts are rich in growth hormones that can make nails firm and less prone to cracking. At the same time, walnuts are rich in plant protein, which can promote nail growth. Regular consumption of walnuts helps to keep nails strong and healthy.
3. Jujubes (Chinese Dates)
Prevent scurvy. Jujubes are extremely rich in Vitamin C, earning them the nickname "living Vitamin C pills" by nutritionists. If the diet lacks Vitamin C, a person may feel tired and listless, and may even develop scurvy.
4. Pistachios
Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, carotene, peroxides, and enzymes. Moderate consumption can ensure sufficient blood flow to the brain, making one feel energetic and radiant.
5. Dried Squid Strips
Nutritional highlights: After drying, the water content of squid strips decreases, and nutrients become concentrated. The protein content reaches 16%-20%, and the levels of iron and zinc are also not low. At the same time, the fat content is not high. Moreover, fish fat contains scarce unsaturated fatty acids like EPA and DHA, which have the effect of lowering blood fat and boosting intelligence.
>Dried squid strips or fish bone snacks are extremely high in sodium. While they are enjoyable to eat, it's best to consume them in moderation.6. Ready-to-eat Fruit and Vegetable Chips
Nutritional highlights: Once popular pineapple and banana chips are now considered the least healthy option among various ready-to-eat fruit and vegetable chips, as their energy and sugar content are relatively high. Nowadays, apples, carrots, and even shiitake mushrooms and ginger can be processed into delicious ready-to-eat snacks using low-temperature vacuum drying technology, which minimizes the loss of nutrients in fruits and vegetables.
>However, eating too many ready-to-eat fruit and vegetable chips is not beneficial, as fresh fruits and vegetables remain the best source for supplementation.7. Dried Tofu
Nutritional highlights: The outstanding nutritional benefit of dried tofu is its high calcium content. The greatest feature of dried tofu is its balanced nutrition, with adequate amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates—neither lacking nor excessive in any area.
>However, a single vacuum-se pack of five-spice dried tofu weighs about 20 grams. Eating two or three packs as a snack can supplement 40% of the daily calcium requirement.8. Coffee, Milk
Nutritional highlights: Some people cannot drink milk or simply dislike its taste. However, it's hard to give up the nutritional value of milk, which is rich in lactose calcium with a high absorption rate. Some people enjoy coffee but choose three-in-one instant coffee packs, which are a combination of hydrogenated vegetable oil, white sugar, and coffee powder. The hydrogenated vegetable oil contains trans fats that are harmful to cardiovascular health.
>However, remember to prepare a cup of low-fat milk, add a small spoonful of coffee powder, and sweeten it with a safe sweetener like Tate & Lyle sugar or pure cane sugar.