The wrong snacks can be a real trap when it comes to losing weight and staying healthy. But you can learn how to develop healthy snacking behavior.
- Are snacks good or bad?
A snack is generally defined as any food eaten between main meals.
Many people eat a snack at least once during the day, and there are several reasons for this, and the most common reason is that the feeling of hunger begins a few hours after the last meal eaten. Another reason may be low energy levels and feeling down.
Research in the United States shows that the most popular snack options are fruit, cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, popcorn, soft drinks, crackers, cookies, milk, nuts, seeds, green tea, green coffee, yogurt, and health snacks, targeting dieters and athletes.
Although snacking can be a regular and important part of a healthy diet, it can also lead to health problems. What distinguishes between the two is the behavior of eating snacks: what you eat, why you eat it, the calories contained in what is eaten, the number of times you eat snacks, and whether what was eaten is appropriate with the diet that is appropriate for you.
- Pros and cons of snacks:
Research has tried to find out whether snacking has a positive or negative effect on nutrition and health outcomes, but no clear conclusion has been reached. Studies have found that snacking recommendations from public health organizations around the world generally advise limiting snacks that are low in nutrients and high in saturated fat, sugar and sodium. They found that snacks provide at least 10% of daily calories.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include recommendations for nutrient-dense snacks, such as raw vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, plain yogurt, and healthy snacks, aimed at dieters and athletes.
- Benefits of snacks:
- Provides a boost of energy if several hours pass between meals or if blood sugar levels drop.
- It helps suppress appetite to prevent overeating at the next meal.
- It provides additional nutrients when choosing specific snacks, such as fresh fruits or nuts, and healthy snacks targeting dieters and athletes.
It can help maintain adequate nutrition if a person has a poor appetite but cannot eat full meals.
- Harmful effects of snacks:
- Unwanted weight gain if the quantity or frequency of snacking is too much, leading to the addition of excess calories.
- It can cause you to skip a meal completely, which increases the risk of missing out on important nutrients.
- Eating ultra-processed snacks, which contain added salt, sugar and fat but are low in nutrients and high in calories, leads to changes in eating and diet behaviours, such as eating large amounts of delicious snacks and not eating healthy foods.
- Eating excessive snacks may increase the appetite for other high-calorie sweets, which hinders the weight loss process.
- Some types of snacks can contain artificial sweeteners that may increase blood sugar levels, which is a serious problem for people with diabetes.
- Start eating snack foods:
In the United States, salty snacks and health snacks aimed at dieters and athletes are popular snack options, and salty snacks have become particularly popular since 1977.
In 2006, salty snacks including potato chips and nuts accounted for 14.3% of all snacks consumed, including crackers, popcorn and pretzels, which were very popular. From 1977 to 2006, preference for sweet snacks declined in the United States overall, but in 2006 sweets still made up 19.6% of snacks.
Milk, fruits, and juices have also become less popular snacks in the United States, and although fruits and sweets have declined slightly as examples of their choice of snacks, they are very popular in Mexico, Brazil, China, Oman, and France.
While fruit is the most popular snack in Mexico, and one of the most popular snacks in Brazil, in China, foods containing fruit and grains are common snacks.
Snacks in France also tend to include sugary cereal-based foods, including sweets, cereal bars, and biscuits, and Canadian children also tend to choose sweet cereal-based products. In Finland, the same foods are consumed in snacks, with the exception of fruit. Many These snacks are eaten relatively poor in nutrients and high in calories.
- How to make snacks healthy:
- Choose nutrient-dense snacks:
Choose snacks that are rich in nutrients such as protein, fiber and healthy fats. This will help you feel full for longer periods.
- Avoid processed snacks:
Processed snacks are often high in calories, sugar and unhealthy fats. They can be replaced with whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
- Preparing snacks:
Prepare healthy snacks in advance so you have them on hand when you get hungry. This will help you avoid turning to unhealthy options when you feel hungry.
- Portion control:
Although healthy snacks are beneficial, it is important to watch portion sizes because overeating even healthy foods can lead to weight gain.
- Stay hydrated:
Drinking plenty of water is important for overall health and can also help you feel full between meals.
Healthy desserts have a number of health benefits that make them an excellent choice for people who follow a healthy diet and also want to enjoy delicious dessert meals.
- You should note:
- Low sugar:
The healthy dessert is prepared using healthy alternative sweeteners to white sugar, which reduces calories and maintains blood sugar levels.
- It contains healthy ingredients:
Healthy ingredients are used in preparing healthy desserts, such as fruits, nuts and seeds, which contain fiber and vitamins.
How to choose the right dessert:
- When choosing a healthy dessert, you must take into account the ingredients and calories used in its preparation.
- It is preferable to choose sweets that contain natural and nutritious ingredients such as fruits, nuts, and whole grains.
- Choose the appropriate candy from the many options available in the market.
How to replace components:
You can make healthy desserts healthier by replacing some of the unhealthy ingredients with healthier alternatives:
- Replace white sugar with natural honey or artificial sweeteners.
- Use whole wheat flour instead of white flour in preparing dessert.
- Use dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate.
- Replace full-fat dairy with semi-fat dairy.
Moderation in eating healthy sweeteners:
Small amounts of sweets can be eaten in moderation without affecting your healthy diet, and these quantities may be sufficient to satisfy the desire for sweets without significantly increasing calories.
Avoid regular processed sweets
Regular processed sweets usually contain large amounts of added sugar and fat, making them unsuitable for daily consumption on a diet.
- Choose healthy options:
Choose sweets based on healthy, natural ingredients, and avoid those that contain unhealthy additives.
- Check components:
Check the list of ingredients used in preparing healthy jewelry to ensure that there are no substances that cause any health problems.
Correct diets do not stipulate deprivation of certain foods or snacks, but rather stipulate guidance in choosing healthy and alternative options, so you can eat delicious but healthy sweets at the same time, enriching your body with the nutrients it needs.
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