More and more dieticians are beginning to recommend that women who are trying to stick to a diet in order to lose weight might want to try snacking as a way to satisfy the craving for food while still maintaining their diet guidelines. Between meals snacks like candy bars and donuts are certainly not going to improve anyone’s diet plans, but healthy, light snacks can help most women on a diet control their hunger a bit more effectively and encourage reduced portion sizes at regular meals. According to guidelines from the American Dietetic Association, a healthy snack should fill you up, be reasonably nutritious, and be in the 100- to 200-calorie range.

Check out the list of seven healthy and potentially diet-enhancing snacks below to see if there are not a few items that might just fit in your own weight-loss program and you might be surprised at just how satisfying and indulgent some of them can be.

Chewing Gum
Believe it or not, chewing gum can be a diet booster. If you reach for a stick of gum when you’re really hungry it will not only take the edge off of your hunger, but you can also benefit from the 11 calories or so per hour that your body will burn by simply chewing and moving your jaw up and down. Obviously, sugar-free gums would be best here.

Chewy Granola Bars
Look for granola bars with the word “chewy” on the label. They typically stave off hunger pangs with about 140 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and they're made with real nuts and whole grains which means they actually taste good.

Apples
Many studies have shown that eating a few apples every day can be healthy and prevent unwanted weight gains. Mixing a cut-up apple with walnuts or peanut butter will do the trick.

Soy Chips
Soy chips are not widely recognized as a diet food, but they are a high-fiber, low-fat snack that's a significant source of soy protein. Soy protein helps facilitate weight loss and also helps to make sure that the weight you lose is fat instead of muscle. One package of soy chips will contain about 7 grams of protein in about 100 calories.

Instant Oatmeal
Individual packages of instant oatmeal can be a handy weight loss helper. Just add water and microwave and you’ll have a snack that is more filling than dry cereal with the same calories and fiber content.

Licorice
Believe it or not, common licorice has an active ingredient called glycyrrhetinic acid that has been shown to help reduce body fat mass. Licorice works by blocking enzymes that play a role in fat accumulation and it can reduce overall appetite. You can’t just eat the high-sugar “candy-style” licorice though, look for the natural flavored types that have real licorice extract high on the ingredient list.

Frozen Vegetables
Frozen vegetables taste great because they're not decaying into starches like their “normal” fresh counterparts and the freezing seals in their natural sweet flavors. The high-fiber and low-calorie-density combination makes them filling and satisfying. Half of a cup of peas has just 55 calories and 3 grams of fiber and half of a cup of corn contains 72 calories with 2 grams of fiber.