Best Healthy Trail Mixes – Is Trail Mix Healthy?

When it’s sunny, and you have (hopefully) a few moments to enjoy nature, the trail mix is ​​a must to grab and go. This hiker’s favorite is known to be shelf stable, practical, high in protein, and it comes in dozens of different sweet and savory combinations. While some mixes are delicious and healthy, others just aren’t because of the wrong ingredients. We’ve spoken to a few nutritionists, got tips on finding a good pack, and picked some of the healthiest blends on the market so you don’t have to.

Is trail mix healthy?

With the right ingredients, trail mix can deliver a multitude of benefits. Nuts and seeds contain a lot of protein, an important nutrient for muscle growth and tissue repair, according to Sarika Shah, RDN Another benefit of nuts and seeds? They contain unsaturated fats. “Unsaturated fat can lower LDL – the bad cholesterol – preventing your risk of heart disease,” says Jerlyn Jones, RDN. Two secretly healthy ingredients that provide the sweet balance in some blends are chocolate and dried fruit. Dark chocolate is associated with heart health and contains antioxidants, while dried fruits are a good source of carbohydrates and fiber. “When you combine carbohydrate and fiber,” Shah explains, “it provides a slow release of energy because your body breaks down this combination much more slowly.”

Trail mix can potentially aid weight loss because it fills you up faster than other snacks, but there’s always a catch. “A calorie is a calorie,” Shah says. “It’s super easy to eat a little bit of the mix, which becomes calorically dense. Most trail mix bags have a quarter-cup serving, or about a handful. Trail mix is ​​still a great snack between meals. or on a hike, as it’s a small snack that’s easy to remember, but in moderation.

How to choose a healthy trail mix

Trail Mix is ​​fantastic for endurance activities, but the ingredients can vary widely and there are many bad combos out there. Finding the right mix is ​​essential to making it a healthy snack.

✔️ Read thee Top 3: Always check the ingredient list as the nuts or seeds should be on top. “People should look for nutrient-dense ingredients such as unsalted nuts, seeds, dried fruits, coconut flakes, and dark chocolate,” Jones explains.

✔️ Check the sodium: “Avoid foods high in sodium (300 mg or more per serving),” Jones advises. Unless you are doing high-impact exercise, you don’t need to replenish your sodium levels.

✔️ Watch out for sugar: Added sugars are prohibited. “I try to look for packages where nuts or seeds are the main ingredients, and sugar is not among the top three ingredients listed,” Shah explains. However, remember that dried fruits contain natural sugars. “I don’t care too much about the grams of sugar, the most important is the added sugar. The goal is 5 grams or less per serving.”

✔️ Avoid plaster nuts and seeds: Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are all great ingredients, as long as they’re not coated in candy.

✔️ Notice the name: A good rule of thumb, if the name sounds sweet like “S’mores” or “Salted Carmel”, it probably isn’t the healthiest.

Trail Mix is ​​a great snack for runners, long distance walkers, hikers, campers, or anyone looking for a boost of energy for body and soul. By following these tips, we’ve found our 6 healthiest blends. Don’t like what you find? You can always make your own too!

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