Healthy Versions Of Four Favorite Dips

It's hard to a picture an appetizer lineup that doesn't feature some sort of dip. Unfortunately, while there's nothing inherently wrong with dip, there is often quite a lot wrong with the way we make dip, not to mention the things we dip in it!

[If you just want the recipes, click here!]

There's no reason dieters should  miss out on the dipping fun, and now, thanks to these four healthy recipes, they won't have to! The first of them, for guacamole, actually didn't require much swapping, since it was pretty healthy to begin with!

Though you should second-guess the rare guacamole recipe that calls for sour cream, most only feature mashed avocado, salt, lime juice, other veggies (usually tomato and onion) and spices.

Avocado, guacamole's main ingredient, is bursting with vitamins, antioxidants, and: for example, Vitamin K, magnesium, and lutein. Avocado is also high in monosaturated fat, which means that guacamole has a somewhat higher calorie count. A small dose of this heart-healthy fat could help keep you satisfied and reduce inflammation, but you don't want to go totally overboard!

The calorie count for our next recipe, homemade hummus, also looks to be on the high side, because the eight serving yield assumed a meal-sized portion of 100 grams; a single tablespoon serving would only be around 52.

Hummus's main ingredient, chickpeas, are high in folate, manganese, plant-based protein, and soluble fiber, so they're an awesome addition to any appetizer table. Our version swaps high-fat oil and tahini for leaner condiments like Bragg's Liquid Aminos and lemon juice.

Next, there's spinach dip, a condiment that can be so treacherous that it was one of the Christmas calorie bombs you'd do well to avoid this holiday season. However, the spinach itself was never the problem; it's all the oil, butter, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream we mix with it!

This healthy recipe doesn't leave out tasty extras like cheese and butter, it just minimizes them so you can get a little of that decadent spinach-dip feel without regretting it the next time you hop on the scale.

It stays just as tasty as the richer stuff with help from low-calorie superfoods like garlic and apple cider vinegar, both of which have unique metabolism-boosting properties!

Finally, if your veggie of choice is tomato, that's no problem either! Our simple Worcestershire tomato dip is the lowest-fat dip on our list, though the tomatoes do give it a bit of a carbohydrate count.

As far as what you should dip in these delectable recipes? Obviously, your best options are veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, and celery. Second choice would probably be a cracker without added sugar like melba toast or a triscuit.

The chips is where things get a little more dubious, but if you have to have em, try to find a relatively plain and low-sodium chip rather than chomping down on some MSG-loaded Doritos.

Baked chips will also be lower in fat and calories than fried ones, or you could go a little further out of the box and look for a chip made from a non-potato vegetable. As always, the less processed the better!

To avoid over-snacking, instead of plopping yourself down next to the snack table, make one moderate plate and then move to another part of the room. Come on, there's gotta be one interesting person around!