A healthy diet doesn't mean you have to stop
snacking. By choosing healthy snacks, you can meet your energy and nutritional
needs without tipping the scales.
The right snacks can
contribute to a healthy diet and lifestyle by supplying your body with energy and even restoring concentration between meals.
Too often, though, it seems easier to snack on candy, chips, and soda, which
negatively impact our health.
Healthy Snacks: How to Choose Wisely
To ensure between-meal
munchies have a positive effect on your diet, keep a variety of healthy items
on hand. Nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat cheese, and dried fruits
are easy-to-grab, healthful snack options.
Related: Fast Food That Isn't as Healthy as It Sounds
But snacking shouldn’t
be viewed in isolation, says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director and senior
scientist, Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston.
“What matters is total caloric intake,” she says. Striking the appropriate
caloric balance and getting the recommended amount of energy and nutrition is
the biggest challenge most of us have, Dr. Lichtenstein explains.
“What’s really
important is whether we're getting our daily requirements,” explains
Lichtenstein, adding that many people don’t get the recommended amount of whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables on a regular basis.
That’s where snacking
can help. If your meals generally provide a variety of vitamins and minerals,
but not enough fiber or protein, for instance, try to select snacks that will supply
what you’re lacking. “Because we know most of us don't get enough calcium,”
Lichtenstein says, “instead of cola, you might choose a low-fat yogurt.”
Fruit is another great
choice. A 16-ounce cola has nearly 200 calories, more than 50 grams of sugar,
no vitamins, and no fiber. A medium apple, which contains about 81 calories and
17 grams of sugar, packs in vitamin C and potassium, plus 4 grams of fiber.
What’s the right size
for a snack? It’s different for almost everyone and depends on age, size, and
physical activity, among other things. Just be sure to account for all snacks
within your daily calorie allotment.
Related: Healthy Snacks When You Fly
For times when you don’t choose the healthiest snack, keeping portion sizes small will minimize the damage to your diet
and overall health.
Healthy Snacks: Read Package Labels Carefully
If a bag of cookies is
labeled low-fat or touted as a snack-size portion, does that automatically mean
it’s a good snack? Probably not. While it’s better to eat a small portion of
cookies than a plateful, they’re still cookies. Packaging labels are designed
to sell products; instead, focus on the nutrition label and the ingredients to
find out what the food really contains. A general rule to follow for snacks, as
well as meals, is the less processed the food, the better.
Healthy Snacks: Combinations Can Boost the Yum Factor
Smart snackers treat
snack time like mealtime, varying their choices from among the different food
groups and only rarely choosing high-fat snacks.
Nutritious snacks can
be delicious, too. These choices are all tasty and, because they contain
calcium, protein, fiber, or all three, are good for you, too:
·
Celery sticks and peanut butter
·
Cottage cheese with a spoonful of jelly stirred in
·
Strawberries or grapes dipped in plain yogurt
·
Tuna fish on whole-grain crackers
People tend to eat
what’s handy. Lichtenstein recommends placing a bowl of fruit on the counter
and keeping washed, cut vegetables in the refrigerator where they’re easy to
grab. That way, a healthy snack will always be within reach.