Healthy Snacks

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Healthy Snacking

Of course, we all snack, Snacks can be healthy if you make nutritious choices. Improving snacks can be a significant part of a plan to reduce obesity. A small amount of preparation can add healthy snacks to a family’s daily nutrition; here are some tips for healthy snacks to avoid vending machines filled with snacks that will ruin your health and fitness plan. 

What is the problem with processed food?

  • Food processing often removes much of the nutrients while increasing the calories.
  • Your body needs fiber; processed foods have more sugar and less fiber.
  • Processed foods are usually high in added sugar, raising your blood sugar.
  • Processed foods are often high in unhealthy fats.
75% of the food energy in purchases in the US is from processed foods! 

Why do we eat so much of it? The answer is salt, sugar, and fat. These foods are not accidentally filled with sugar, fat, and salt. The food industry refers to the point at which sugar, fat, or salt are blended to delicious perfection as the “Bliss Point”. This is the point where the food is most addictive, like the Lays Potato Chip slogan, “Betcha can't eat just one”. The food industry works hard to make food that you cannot eat just one, so we eat the whole bag of chips instead of the few we intended. 

What are whole foods? 

Whole food is not processed, colored, made synthetically, full of preservatives, packed with added sugars, or high in unhealthy fats. They are filled with all their natural nutrients and are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. 

Benefits of Whole Food Snacks

Whole foods can improve your health. A whole-food diet will lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. It’s important to focus on whole-food snacks.

Whole foods can help you maintain your weight. Whole foods are full of nutrition and lower in calories. Plus, once you kick the sugar addiction, you may notice the pounds start dropping off. 

Snacks to Avoid
  • Soda and Sweetened Drinks: studies have shown that drinking 1–2 servings daily had a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than individuals who <1 a month.4 Be careful with fruit juice as it is also very high in sugar.
  • Sugary cereals can have over 40 grams of sugar in a 100-gram portion.5
  • Flavored Yogurt: some brands have over 30 grams of sugar in a single serving.
  • Refined grains, including white bread and regular pasta: They have been stripped of much of their nutrients and fiber and increase abdominal fat.6
  • Salad Dressing: these are loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, emulsifiers, and chemicals. Homemade dressings are so easy and ensure that salad is healthy.

Healthy Snacks

  • Plain or sparkling water with some fruit
  • Fat-free milk or plain soymilk
  • Unsweetened tea or coffee
  • Whole-grain toast with nut butter
  • Cherry tomatoes with hummus
  • Low-fat cheese
  • Plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt with frozen fruit
  • Fruit and veggie smoothie
  • Whole-grain crackers with canned tuna or salmon
  • Raisins, dates, figs and other unsweetened dried fruits
  • Frozen banana
  • Frozen grapes
  • Fresh fruit salad

 

 

Sources:

1.       Poti JM, Mendez MA, Ng SW, Popkin BM. Is the degree of food processing and convenience linked with the nutritional quality of foods purchased by US households? Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;101(6):1251-1262. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.100925. Accessed 11/8/2020. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100925.

2.       Castro-Barquero S, Ruiz-León AM, Sierra-Pérez M, Estruch R, Casas R. Dietary strategies for metabolic syndrome: A comprehensive review. Nutrients. 2020;12(10). doi: 10.3390/nu12102983.

3.       De la Iglesia R, Loria-Kohen V, Zulet MA, Martinez JA, Reglero G, Ramirez de Molina A. Dietary strategies implicated in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2016;17(11). doi: 10.3390/ijms17111877.

4.      Malik VS, Popkin BM, Bray GA, Després J, Willett WC, Hu FB. Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. 2010;33(11):2477-2483.

5.      Allen S, Goddard E. The effectiveness of high sugar warning labels on breakfast cereals; the effectiveness of high sugar warning labels on breakfast cereals.  2018. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/275885/files/2607.pdf http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/275885/files/2607.pdf http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/275885/files/2607.pdf. doi: 10.22004/ag.econ.275885; doi.

6.      McKeown NM, Troy LM, Jacques PF, Hoffmann U, O'Donnell CJ, Fox CS. Whole- and refined-grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: The framingham heart study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92(5):1165-1171. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29106 [doi].

 


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