Gut-Healthy Low-Glycemic Snacks That’ll Keep Your Gut Smiling

Did you know the fan-favorite Rowdy Bar flavor Chocolate Coconut Cashew is a gut-healthy low-glycemic snack bar? Yep, that’s right! We’ve spent lots of time in the kitchen making sure of it, just for you! 

Here at Rowdy Bars, we love making snacks that satisfy our hunger, treat our taste buds and keep us energized all day long. That’s why having high-protein low-glycemic snacks to take on-the-go is so important to us. 

The Amazing Benefits Of Gut-Healthy Low-Glycemic Snacks

Low GI snacks are healthy for our bodies and overall well being. But why? Let’s go over what low-glycemic means and the amazing benefits of a low-glycemic diet.

The glycemic index is a tool that helps us measure how eating different types of food influences our body’s blood sugar levels. Foods are associated with GI (glycemic index) numbers based on how quickly our bodies break down the sugar, or glucose, in that food. The higher the GI number, the faster your body absorbs the glucose in the food and the higher your blood sugar spikes. High GI foods range from 70-100. Medium GI foods range from 50-70. Low GI foods are lower than 50.  

So what makes low GI snacks so important for our health? When the body’s blood sugar stays stable instead of going on a roller coaster ride of sugar highs and sugar crashes, it can lower your risk for diabetes, keep those afternoon crashes away, and contribute to an overall healthier lifestyle. 

Eating Healthy On The Run

We’ve all got a busy, yet super exciting lifestyle. Between picking up the kids, going to work, weekend adventures, road trips, morning gym sessions, and afternoon yoga classes you’re sure to be eating on the run at least every once in a while. Having healthy low sugar energy bars and snacks in a busy lifestyle is essential for keeping the body’s blood sugar under control and those afternoon crashes out of the way. 

Be sure to watch out though! Not all low glycemic foods are necessarily “healthy”. Some have high levels of saturated fats, like sausage for example. When preparing your own high-protein low-glycemic snacks at home, you want to combine a low-glycemic carbohydrate with a lean protein. 

Try combining some of these low-glycemic carbs with healthy protein options.

Low-Glycemic Carb Options

• Veggies, steamed or fresh
• Berries, fresh or frozen
• Quinoa, brown rice and oatmeal
• Prunes
• Citrus fruits
• Coconut
• Root veggies

Protein Options

• Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds
• Nut butters
• Chickpeas, black beans
• Hummus
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Cheese (go for gourmet cheeses that are higher in butyric acid. Packaged singles don’t count!)
• Smoked salmon
• Turkey and other lean meats
• Greek yogurt

Whether you make your snacks at home or you’re grabbing a snack to go, check out our top 10 favorite low GI snacks below!

1. Spicy Seed Trail (or Desk) Mix 

For a quick boost of energy with a bite, grab a handful of this spicy seed mix. 

Directions: Preheat the oven to 320 °F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss together pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds with a roasting oil of choice, low GI sweetener of choice, low sodium soy sauce, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Toss into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until toasty! Then grab a handful and enjoy this high-protein low-glycemic snack.

2. No Bake Energy Bites 

Energy bites are a delicious way to fuel up without losing momentum from a sugar crash. Pack them in your lunch for a midday snack or take them on the trail for a light and nutrient-dense ball of deliciousness. We like this recipe from With Salt and Wit. 

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked oats
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons flax seed
• 1/3 cup shelled pistachios

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup honey (or yacon root syrup)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce

Directions: Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Then, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the wet ingredients and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and then microwave in 20-second intervals until completely melted. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well until the mixture forms a ball. Chill dough for 3 hours. Roll into 20 balls and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Or press them into a 9x9 pan with parchment and cut them into gut-healthy energy bars. Enjoy!

3. Fruit (or Veggies) and Dip 

Whether you’re an apples-and-nut-butter fan or you love a good plate of veggie sticks and hummus, you can whip up dozens of versions of this classic snack combo. Fresh fruits and veggies are full of fiber, while nut butters and bean-based dips pack a protein punch. A word of caution, make sure you stay away from dips that contain added sugar. Get dippin’!

Granny Smith Apples And Almond Butter. Cut up 1 Granny Smith apple and dip it into 2 tablespoons of natural almond butter for a sweet and crunchy snack.

Tortilla Chips And Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip. Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip is one of our favorite dips out there! It’s so delicious and full of healthy fats. Enjoy this low-glycemic seed dip with a handful of tortilla chips.

Veggies And Beet Dip. A Beet Dip we make often at Rowdy is this Tahini-Beet Dip. Whip it up and give this low GI snack a try with sliced bell peppers, celery, and carrots.

• 1 lb. beets
• 1⁄2 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 ice cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, to garnish
• 1 pine nuts, toasted, to garnish

Directions: In a saucepan, boil water. Add beets to water and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and peel the beets, and then transfer to a blender along with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and ice cubes. Season with salt and pepper and purée until smooth. Spoon this gut-friendly snack into a bowl and garnish with a small drizzle of olive oil and top with pine nuts. Enjoy!

4. Berries and Yogurt 

Enjoy a bowl of flavorful, nutrient-packed berries and yogurt without all the added sugar. Start with a Greek yogurt base and add a cup of colorful berries. Raspberries, fresh cranberries, blackberries, and blueberries are all delicious berries that are loaded with healthy antioxidants and make a great topping for this fresh yogurt snack. Slice up your favorite high-protein low-glycemic energy bar, Rowdy Bars, and top your bowl of sweet flavor with these prebiotics.  Enjoy as a beautiful breakfast or mid-morning snack.

5. Rowdy Bars 

When you’re on the go and need a tasty snack to get you to your next meal, Rowdy Bars are the go-to packing snack. Rowdy Bars are sweetened with naturally low GI yacon root syrup. This superfood syrup makes our low sugar energy bars super gut-friendly and full of prebiotics. Try any of our four flavors: Blueberry Almond Tart, Peanutty Dark Chocolate, Sunflower Butter N’ Berries, or the crowd favorite, Chocolate Coconut Cashew. Rowdy Bars fill you up without slowing you down!

6. Tuna Fish 

Mom was on to something with those tuna fish sandwiches. Tuna is completely sugar-free and has plenty of good-for-you nutrients. This delicious and life-changing sandwich ingredient is full of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Try this Tuna Salad recipe on a sandwich or gobble it up with some flaxseed crackers.

• 1 can tuna in water
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chives
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Put all ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Enjoy! 

7. Sipping Broth 

Broth isn’t just for those unhealthy days when you’re sick in bed with the seasonal cold. Sipping on some broth at any time is actually one of the best low GI snacks out there. Whether you’re on team vegetable or bone, broth is a tasty, low-glycemic snack that’ll warm you through and through. Vegetable broth, chicken broth, beef broth, or any other kind of broth you can fix up is just like a comfort food without all the added carbs or sugar. Sip it warm out of your favorite coffee mug or enjoy it spoonful by spoonful with a few flaxseed crackers.

8. Tofu Fries 

Tofu might not be for everyone, but give it a try! If you like tofu, or you’re looking for a way to get into it, tofu fries just might be your gateway to the soy-based snack world. Tofu fries provide a plant-based tasty protein fix and, because tofu is famously tasteless, you can season them however you like. Heads up: the only thing this snack has in common with traditional french fries is the shape. Give this recipe a try!

• 14 oz extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt, pepper, chili powder

Directions: Drain water and squeeze as much water from the tofu as you can. Preheat the oven to 375F. Slice up tofu into thin sticks so they look like fries. Lightly coat tofu slices with a touch of olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and chili powder. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the fries halfway through.

Then, broil for 1-2 minutes on each side. Enjoy! 

9. Avocado toast 

Avocado toast couldn’t have missed this gut-healthy low-glycemic snack list. While avocados are a low GI powerhouse food, this snack can be a bit tricky. Make sure you’re using the right type of bread as a foundation. The types of breads pass the low GI test: 100% stoneground whole wheat, rye, and pumpernickels. Try out this fully-loaded avocado toast recipe.

• 1 slice of 100% stonehouse whole wheat bread
• ½ avocado
• Chopped fresh radish
• Green onion
• Sliced jalapeño
• Toasted sunflower seeds
• Salt and pepper

Directions: Mash up the avocado and spread it on the whole wheat bread. Then, top your avocado toast with radish, green onion, jalapeño, and sunflower seeds. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Enjoy!

10. Cucumber Tomato Cottage Cheese Salad 

If you’re on team cottage cheese, you’ll love this protein-packed snack. All you need is chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, cottage cheese, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix ‘em all together, and enjoy! 

What are your favorite low GI Snacks? Comment below and share your snack secret!