But as you know, many snacks are made of refined sugars and carbs which will increase your food craving, and on the other side make your body unhealthy. So how do you avoid that? The answer is simple: enrich your snacks with lots of proteins. So let’s see the benefits you get from eating high-protein snacks.

The Benefits of High-Protein Snacks

1. high protein snacks can control your Appetite

If you want to control your appetite and lose some weight, here’s how protein snacks help you.

• First, they tend to reduce a hormone called ghrelin, which induces hunger in you.
• Secondly, protein maximizes the peptide YY levels in the body which keeps you full for a longer period.

Therefore, if you get hungry more often, the best suggestion would be to include more protein snacks in your diet.

2. High-protein snacks help your body heal

Proteins are the base of your body composition. So they can help to heal your body from injuries and other damages. This claim is often proven by different scientific studies, revealing that consuming enough proteins can accelerate your body’s healing process from injuries.

Moreover, studies have proven that people consuming high-protein snacks have a higher rate of recovery from injuries. Sounds wonderful right?

3. Can strengthen your Bones with high-protein snacks

Most scientific studies are done with the aim of disproving the mis- concepts about something. Proteins also have bad claims about increasing the acid content in the body, inducing reduced bone mineral density. But is that true?

The answer is no. Actually, the research has proven otherwise. Scientists reveal that high-protein foods can help your body the bone density at a healthy level. Therefore, it will reduce the risk of developing disease conditions like osteoporosis.

4. Promotes your body metabolism

How do proteins promote your metabolism? This is due to a phenomenon known as thermic effect. When your body is burning calories in the digestion process, proteins usually have a higher thermic effect which will result in burning more calories. This is also backed by scientific studies as well. A study conducted on this revealed that people who eat a high-protein diet tend to burn more calories than ones on a low-protein diet.

How much protein do you need a day?

Protein is an essential component in your body’s composition. They have included almost all the parts including bones, blood, hair connective tissue, hormones, enzymes, connective tissues, and much more.

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance – Average daily dietary intake levels to meet your nutritional requirements) for protein is around 0.8g per 1kg of the human body. It’s the minimum protein level required to prevent yourself from getting various disease conditions.

Therefore always remember to make your diet rich with proteins to have a better healthy life. If you are a snack lover, try to add more high-protein snacks to your meals for your own sake.

High- Protein snack ideas

Snacking can be healthy only if you choose the right ingredients. Otherwise, if you choose high-calorie ingredients with high fat and sugar levels, then your snack won’t be a healthy option. On the other hand, Snacks with highly added sugar slows down digestion and you may become hungrier and hungrier often. While keeping that in mind let’s discuss different types of high-protein snacks you can prepare for different occasions.

Sweet and Savory High-Protein Snacks

If you love both the sweet and savory flavor then you could go for sweet and savory protein snacks. You can make them in any flavor you prefer while making sure they are rich with good sources of proteins. Given below are some of the best sweet and savory high-protein snack ideas you could prepare for your healthy diet plans.

Sweet high protein snacks

• Greek yogurt with mixed berries
• Apple slices with almond or peanut butter
• Protein-packed oatmeal with almond butter and banana
• Vegan protein balls made with dates
• Frozen yogurt bites made with Greek yogurt and fruit puree
• Peanut butter and banana protein shake

Savory high-protein snacks

• Edamame with sea salt and lemon juice
• Baked chickpeas with smoked paprika and garlic powder
• Roasted almonds with rosemary and sea salt
• Hard-boiled eggs with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper
• Rice cakes with avocado smoked salmon, and sea salt
• Roasted vegetable skewers with tofu or tempeh.

High protein low carb snacks for Weight Loss

When choosing appropriate snack choices, you must consider your Fitness goals as well. Snacking won’t be a hinder to your fitness goals if you choose the snack choices wisely.

Science-based studies suggest that healthy snacks have a positive effect on weight loss. A Study conducted in 2015 revealed that there’s a possibility to have a lower body mass index by including nutrient-dense snacks in your daily meal plans.

If you need some healthy snack inspiration for weight loss, check out the following low-carb-high-protein snacks to enjoy your day.

• Veggie Egg White Bites
• Edamame Hummus
• Protein Shake
• Tuna Salad
• Baked Chicken Nuggets
• Tuna Salad Crostini
• Roasted Chickpeas

High-Protein Snacks for Picky Eaters

Your growing kids need lots of protein for their growth and development. Moreover, these proteins are essential for healthy bones and immune system functionality. If your kid is a picky eater and you are wondering whether he or she is getting enough protein, high-protein snacks would work better with that.

Try these yummy and healthy snack ideas with your kids, there’s a high possibility they’ll actually love these!

• Dried or Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Apple Sandwich
• Fruit Kabobs
• Veggie Chips
• Fruit Leather

Gluten-free savory snacks

If you don’t like sweetness and having issues with consuming gluten, (a protein present in wheat, barley, and rye.) we’ll give the most compatible gluten-free savory snack ideas for you! They are a great way to satisfy your food cravings if you love salty and crispy things while having healthy sources of proteins in your diet.

When purchasing packaged snacks, keep in mind to read the labels carefully, If you have serious issues (such as celiac disease) with gluten consumption. Make sure that they don’t contain gluten-containing products.

• Tortilla Chips
• Antipasto Skewers
• Cheese-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
• Old Bay Crispy Kale Chips
• Sausage kabobs

What is Babybel Cheese? 

Babybel Cheese originated in France in 1952 as a product of ‘Le Groupe Bel’ (The Bel Group). Basically, pasteurized cow’s milk is used to produce this cheese, and its average fat content is 69%. Although the texture is smooth, it is semi-hard. Since it contains calcium, Babybel Cheese has a high nutritional value as well.

Later, its smaller version has become the most popular Babybel Cheese as an on-the-go snack worldwide. It is known as ‘mini Babybel’, and there are different kinds of flavors such as Light, Bonbel, White Cheddar, Gouda, etc. Each piece of mini Babybel Cheese is coated with red wax in a netted bag.

How Long Does Babybel Cheese Last? 

The good quality of Babybel Cheese is determined by the temperature as any other cheese. In other words, you need to freeze or refrigerate Babybel cheese to preserve it for a long time.

In general, you can keep the wax-coated Babybel Cheese for up to four hours in good condition without a freezer or refrigerator. But the room temperature should be around 20 degrees Celsius.

The reason why, Babybel Cheese is known as a ‘fresh cheese’ as the company claims. But Babybel gouda and cheddar are hard cheeses, so you can preserve them for up to 7 days at room temperature with their wax coating.

It is vital to keep soft Babybel Cheese in the refrigerator; otherwise, it can melt. So, if you hope to pack Babybel Cheese for a picnic, make sure to choose a hard cheese.

If you keep any Babybel Cheese in the refrigerator with its wax sealing, you are able to preserve them for up to six months.

The wax coating of mini Babybel helps to keep them moist and fresh without drying, melting or spoiling. Anyways, after you remove it, you need to keep leftovers in the freezer.

And remember that the company’s instruction is to eat Babybel Cheese before the date that has been printed on the wax coating.

How to Store Babybel Cheese? 

It would always be better to store Babybel Cheese with its wax coating, which acts as a seal whether you refrigerate it or not.

Therefore, you need to preserve it from direct sunlight, excessive moisture and air. Otherwise, some harmful bacteria can grow on cheese quickly. If you do not keep them in a fridge, store them in a cool, dark place with their wax coating.

When it comes to the temperature level, 35F to 41F is the most suitable temperature for Babybel Cheese. Thus, it would be best to store Babybel Cheese in the refrigerator. Then you can preserve them for up to 6 months.

If the wax coating is removed, use an air-tight container to place the cheese. But if you store them for such a long time, the real taste of Babybel Cheese might lose. So, remember that the fresher ones always taste better.

Signs that Babybel Cheese has Gone Bad 

If you could not preserve the Babybel Cheese properly, it can spoil like any other cheese. And these signs will help you to identify Babybel Cheese that has gone bad.

• The texture of the Babybel Cheese becomes hard and rubbery when it has gone bad. Usually, it has a smooth texture.
• You will see some white spots on the cheese. But the mouldy part can be cut off to eat the rest of the cheese, in case the cheese is a hard type like cheddar.
• The original smell of the cheese might change into a nasty smell.
• In case you taste the spoilt cheese, you will notice that the taste resembles spoilt milk.  

If you notice these clues, do not consume the cheese. Otherwise, you might have to face some health issues.

Can you Freeze Babybel Cheese? 

Of course, you can! Indeed, it is essential to freeze the Babybel Cheese like any other cheese in the market if you want to keep them for a long time. Actually, there will not be an issue with eating Babybel Cheese even after the expiration date if the cheese is properly preserved. But if it is a soft cheese, do not eat it after the expiration date.

When you freeze them, use an air-tight container or air-tight bag if the wax coating has been removed. It is important to cover the cheese well because in case the cheese spoils, the nasty smell can spread in the refrigerator.

However, if you freeze the cheese for a long time, its taste and texture can be slightly changed.

Especially if you freeze soft cheese, you will notice that its texture has considerably changed. So before eating, you can take them out from the fridge and let them cool down for a while.

Does Vacuum Sealed Cheese Expire? 

If you seal the cheese before refrigerating, you can keep them for up to 6 months because the excessive air cannot carry unnecessary bacteria onto the cheese. In order to do that, you will need a vacuum sealer.

Put the leftover cheese in an air-tight bag, then remove the excess air using the vacuum sealer. However, make sure to check the color, odor and texture of the cheese before eating it.

Does Babybel Cheese Need to be Refrigerated? 

It is not vital to keep the Babybel Cheese in your refrigerator if you hope to eat it within the next few hours. But if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, you cannot keep them unrefrigerated for even 4 hours. And you have to refrigerate them in case you want to preserve them to eat later. 

Therefore, the matter that Babybel Cheese needs to be refrigerated depends on the current temperature level and when you wish to eat it.

Watch this one,

Video Credits – It’s Arabella!

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What Halal Certification Means and Why It Is Important to Muslims?     

What is halal? Halal is the Arabic for lawful or permitted. So, when you say halal food, it means food permitted or lawful to consume and use. So halal certification, on the other hand, refers to the certificate or certification to prove a company’s product is produced following the Islamic guidelines on lawful ingredients and production techniques. 

Here are some of the criteria the certificate serves:

1. The product or process should comply completely with Islamic rulings on halal consumption.
2. Make sure it is manufactured with the best hygiene practices and safety measures.
3. The halal products should not include any chemical, substances, objects, or environmental conditions that serve to be impure or prohibited by Islamic law.  
4. Halal certification on food and beverages is provided when this ‘haram’ or ‘prohibited’ food items are excluded entirely from the production facility and store: pork, cattle slaughtered Islamically inappropriate, any carnivore animals, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles, blood, alcohol, and other intoxicating food and drinks.

Is Mozzarella Cheese Halal?

As per Islamic rulings, not all cheese available in the consumption market is halal. And mozzarella, among them, is a very popular cheese no one can resist. We need it for cheese sticks, pasta, and pizza. Whether a cheese becomes halal or haram depends on the rennet used. 

Well, if the rennet used for mozzarella cheese is that of the cow, goat, or sheep, vegetarian or microbial: The cheese is halal to consume. It is essential to check the ingredient list and, most importantly, the halal certification logo on the package in black or green.

On the other hand, it is debatable on animal rennet used. Animal rennet is an enzyme extracted from the animal’s stomach to digest milk. So, the rennet, according to Islamic principles, if extracted from pigs, becomes non-halal. And rennet is halal if only the animal is slaughtered according to Islamic law. Otherwise, the cheese made using rennet from unknown slaughter is considered non-halal.

The making of mozzarella cheese begins with the fermentation of milk by adding active bacteria. Next, the milk is coagulated using a rennet. This rennet will separate the milk curd. This curdled milk is removed and kneaded by stretching and forming mozzarella cheese. 

How this cheese-making process affects the sources and halal certification depends on the source of rennet used;

1. Animal Rennet: If the rennet is extracted from baby goats, cows, or sheep, it must be slaughtered Islamically. Then the source of mozzarella is halal. Otherwise, the cheese is non-halal. And if the rennet is extracted from pigs, consuming the mozzarella is prohibited.
2. Vegetarian Rennet: Halal cheese can be produced using plant rennet extraction. Plants like nettle, fig, and thistle are used for coagulation. This kind of mozzarella is from a halal source and can be consumed without doubt or fear.
3. Genetically Modified Sources: this refers to chymosin, an alternative to natural rennet used. As long as the extraction of chymosin is halal, the mozzarella produced using chymosin is also halal.
4. Microbes: Some cottage industries for mozzarella use fungi extracts or mold extracts. This is a halal source of mozzarella production.          

How to Identify Halal-certified Mozzarella Cheese Brands?         

It is easy to identify halal mozzarella cheese brands. One way to find out is by looking for the halal logo on the package. The halal foods are provided with a halal sign or symbol indicating the food is permitted to consume.

In case the halal certification is not mentioned, make sure to check the ingredient list. If the ingredient list mentions 100% vegetarian or vegan, you can buy the cheese without a doubt. And, if it is not vegetarian or vegan, one can type in the brand name of the cheese on halal certification websites provided by google and confirm its permissibility.

If the ingredients mention animal rennet without specifying the animal, better avoid the cheese. It can be haram to consume sometimes.

Halal-Certified Mozzarella Cheese Brands                    

Here are some halal mozzarellas recommended from amazon and whole food markets: 365, Arla, Tillamook, Axelrod, Miller’s, Buf creme, Cabot cheese, Sorrento, Rumiano, mozzarella by PIZZA PIZZA, Schnall mozzarella, etc.

 And here are some non-halal cheeses available in the market: Swiss knight, Saputo, Kraft single Swiss, Krinos, Black Diamond and Clear Field, Dorman, Happy Farm, Aldi, etc.

How to Make Halal Mozzarella Cheese at Home?

  Many alternative homemade halal cheese recipes exist, with and without adding rennet. Let’s see how to make halal homemade mozzarella cheese without rennet and with halal rennet;

1. First, gather all the necessary ingredients, such as a spoon, a dense or thick bottom pot, a thermometer, a clean cloth, or cling wrap, and the relevant ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Pasteurized or raw whole milk 1 l
• Salt as required
• Vinegar ¼ cup or halal rennet-like fungi enzyme
• Water as required.

1. Pour the milk into the thick and deep bottom pan. And place it on the stove at medium to medium-low. While heating, gently stir the milk with the spoon until the temperature reaches 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the thermometer to check.
2. Now turn the stove off, and add the ¼ cup vinegar into the hot milk and stir it in for a few seconds (without rennet). Or else use fungi culture or enzyme and stir (with rennet).
3. Next, place the milk pot aside with the lid closed; the milk will coagulate to form curd after around 20-30 minutes.
4. Check whether the milk has curdled completely. If so, separate the curdled milk from the rest of the white liquid called whey.
5. Now use a clean, thin cotton cloth, and place it in a bowl. Now pour the curd into the cloth and form a bundle squeezing the extra whey.
6. Next, place the curd in a bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds or less. If you do not have a microwave, use a pot and heat it to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Now place the cheese in a bowl and stretch it for some time. Now, you can add salt as desired and stretch enough to make mozzarella. 
8. Knead the mozzarella into a neat ball, place it in cold water or ice, and refrigerate it overnight or for at least 20 minutes.
9. Take the cheese ball out, wipe it with a paper serviette, and use it.

Halal-Certified Mozzarella Cheese Alternatives

Here are some halal alternatives to mozzarella cheese that are similar in texture and taste. One is halal Gouda, Provolone, and Cheddar. Even Fontina would be a good alternative. The substitutes aren’t limited to the above. One can buy other substitutes from halal-certified brands like feta, paneer, and Cotija.

Look at this video,

Video Credits – Assimalhakeem 

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