What are the health benefits of a trail mix?

Estimated read time: 4 minutes 44 seconds

Trail mix is getting more and more popular in the Philippines. But you may be wondering…

So we’ve covered everything you need to know about what’s in a trail mix, and how to know which ingredients are best for your own fitness journey. 

What is usually in a trail mix?

According to The Britannica Dictionary, trail mix is a "mixture of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and sometimes chocolate that is eaten as a snack".

How many calories are in a trail mix?

Since trail mix contains a variety of ingredients, each pack has a different calorie count.

Here are the two steps in calculating the estimated amount of calories in a bag of trail mix:

How many proteins are in a trail mix?

Here are the three steps to determine the estimated amount of proteins in a bag of trail mix:

Step 1: List

Write all the ingredients.

Step 2: Search

You may refer to the FoodData Central by U.S. Department of Agriculture to know the amount of proteins for each ingredient in your trail mix.

 Step 3: Sum

Simply get the total amount of proteins of all the ingredients.

How many carbohydrates are in a trail mix?

You may follow the same steps above to get the amount of carbohydrates.

How many fats are in a trail mix?

Likewise, you may follow the same steps above to get the amount of fats.

Did you know? Not all fats are bad.

This peer-reviewed article from Nutrition Journal presented the benefits of healthy fats from plant sources. The authors of this study highlighted that “the types of foods supplying these nutrients – are more important than the total amounts of fats and carbohydrates in the diet.”

Are there vitamins and minerals in a trail mix?

A lot! Here are some vitamins and minerals found in almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, strawberries, and blueberries:

Vitamins	Minerals
Thiamin Niacin Vitamin B-6 Biotin (almonds, walnuts, pecans, strawberries, and blueberries only) Vitamin C (cranberries, strawberries,  and blueberries only) Folate (cranberries only)	Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Molybdenum (almonds, walnuts, and pecans only) Selenium (cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds only)

What can these vitamins and minerals do to my body?

Based on the Medical Encyclopedia by the National Library of Medicine, here are some functions of vitamins and minerals included in the table above:

Can I eat trail mix everyday?

Eating a balanced diet has always been recommended by health experts. As stated in this study, “the 2015 Scientific Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee concluded, ‘A healthy diet can be achieved in multiple ways and preferably with a wide variety of foods and beverages.’”

You may use the Healthy Eating Plate by Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health to guide you in creating healthy and balanced meals.

If you want to start adding trail mix to your diet, you may want to check out this 5-ingredient pack loaded with nutrients.

What is the best trail mix?

Since each person has different fitness goals, the best trail mix for you would be the one that would help you achieve your own goals.

Do you want to start a keto diet? Or maybe a paleo diet? If you’re not yet sure, you may want to consult with a nutritionist or your physician so that you will have a sound dietary decision.

Where can I buy a trail mix?

You can buy a pre-packaged or a customized trail mix online.

Don’t forget to check out our guide on how to properly store your trail mix to keep it fresh-tasting and protect it from getting rancid.

If you have any other questions about trail mix, check out our other articles. Alternatively, you can send us an email at getfit@whealthychoice.com.

REFERENCES:

*To simplify the computation of the calories used in the example in this article, the caloric equivalent has been rounded off. For reference, here are the actual values based on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:

Using the information above, the caloric equivalent per gram are:

Protein: 16.7kJ x 0.239kcal = 3.9913kcal

Fat: 37.4 kJ x 0.239kcal = 8.9386kcal

Total Carbohydrate: 16.7kJ x 0.239kcal = 3.9913kcal

**Estimated amount of protein depends if the actual ingredients in your trail mix have been roasted, salted, dried, etc.