If you like to snack, you’re not alone. According to a survey released this month, snacking is on the rise among Canadians.
And for many of us, that’s not a bad thing. The new study, conducted by NPD Group Inc.
The implication: We’re noshing less on indulgent snacks such as chocolate and ice cream and more often filling nutrient gaps between meals with healthier items.
Fruit, yogurt and snack bars ranked among our top five snack choices, as did potato chips and cookies. While fruit remains our No. 1 snack over the years, yogurt and snack bars are edging out ice cream, popcorn and crackers as favourites.
Snacking does not have to contribute excess – and empty – calories to your diet. If you choose wisely, the right snacks can improve your diet and weight control efforts rather than derail them.
Eating a midday snack helps manage hunger and prevent overeating at meals. By having an afternoon bite, you’re not ravenous when you arrive home at the end of the day and, as a result, don’t polish off a meal’s worth of calories before dinner. Taming your appetite with a snack also makes it easier to curb portions at suppertime.
Data from the U.S. National Weight Control Registry, the largest prospective study of successful weight loss maintenance, backs this up. Among more than 5,000 men and women who have lost, on average, 70 pounds and kept the weight off for years, the vast majority report eating often during the day instead of devouring three big meals.
Between meal snacks also avert lagging energy by providing a source of fuel when blood glucose dips and concentration fades.
Snacks also provide an opportunity to boost your intake of important nutrients such as protein, fibre and calcium. Young children have small stomachs, so they need to eat frequently to obtain the nutrients they need. Older kids need the added calories to fuel growth, development and physical activity.
Some snacks have the advantage of delivering specific health benefits. Nuts, for example, help lower elevated LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, and may help ward off Type 2 diabetes. Low fat dairy products, rich in calcium, are part of a blood pressure lowering diet (think yogurt, smoothies and lattes).
The trick, of course, is choosing a nutritious snack that will boost your blood sugar and keep it relatively stable until mealtime. Snacks should include carbohydrate to fuel your muscles and brain, along with protein and a little fat to slow digestion and keep you feeling energized longer.
Snacks should also have a low glycemic index (GI). Low GI foods are digested slowly, leading to a gradual rise in blood sugar, helping you feel energetic and satisfied longer.
Many snacks that are easy to reach for – cereal bars, bagels, pretzels – have a high glycemic index. They’re digested relatively quickly and cause blood sugar to spike. While a rapid rise in blood sugar will give you an energy boost, it doesn’t last long. High GI snacks cause the body’s pancreas to release excess insulin to clear sugar from your bloodstream, which can lead to premature hunger and overeating.
To control weight, snacks should contain 150 to 200 calories for women and 200 to 250 calories for men.
Nutrient rich, low GI snacks include fruit and nuts (a small handful), yogurt and a medium-sized fruit, a homemade smoothie made with milk or soy milk and frozen berries, one cup of bean soup or vegetarian chili, ½ a pita with tuna, raw vegetables and hummus, whole grain crackers and part skim cheese, or bran cereal with yogurt (Kellogg’s All-Bran Buds is now available in single-serving packages).
The following tips will help you stay ahead of hunger and boost your energy.
Plan ahead
