
Snacks can play a vital role in your health, helping satisfy hunger and nourishing your body. However, unhealthy options have been linked with increased risks of obesity, heart problems, diabetes, and other illnesses. That said, not all snacks are bad. Eating the right ones can boost your health. Are you searching for new ideas? Follow these tips to snack smarter.
- Combine nutrient groups
Incorporating two or more macronutrients is essential each time you snack. For instance, you may choose foods containing healthy protein, like low-fat cheese, and combine them with carbohydrates, like whole grains, to enjoy a balanced and healthy snack. Carbs will revitalize your mind and body with energy; protein-rich foods make you feel full for much longer. Celery, peanut butter, and fruits are also great ideas to snack smarter on low-calorie and high-fiber diets.
- Check your portion size
Snacks kill your hunger between meals, but you don’t have to substitute them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Paying attention to your portion sizes is important, so feel free to consider this. Divide your snacks into small portions when planning your meals to ensure you can fetch the right size when needed.
- Prioritize nuts
Unsalted nuts and seeds are healthy snacks. Unlike chips, almonds, peanuts, cashews, and roasted pumpkin seeds contain many essential nutrients that will leave you feeling full. However, nuts are calorie-rich, so moderating your portion sizes is advisable.
- Go for chocolate and candy bars
Most people love chocolates for their creamier taste. These popular snacks contain good nutrients like magnesium, zinc, iron, and phosphorus. Dark chocolate contains mineral and polyphenolic compounds, such as antioxidants and flavonoids, which boost immunity, brain function, and cardiovascular health. There are many brands and varieties to choose from, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy Canadian chocolate and candy bars, and treat yourself to the ultimate snacking pleasure. The antioxidants in dark chocolates can also help reduce bad cholesterol levels, so keep this in mind.
- Avoid distractions
In other words, snack mindfully. Overeating and overlooking fullness is easy when you snack in front of your television. Consuming your snack while concentrating on other tasks is not a good habit. Avoid distractions like watching TV, browsing the web, or working at your desk during snacking. Pausing whatever you do for a few minutes will make your snacking experience more fulfilling.
- Try to control addiction
There is a good reason why the snacking industry is huge: the food giants intentionally produce irresistible snack foods. Sugar and salt are two things that make snacks more craveable. Experts believe these ingredients can cause addiction due to the intense and instant pleasure they guarantee. Sugar impacts the brain twenty times faster than nicotine, so the risks of addiction are greater in the former than smoking. Learning to control your addiction is key to snacking smarter, so feel free to consider this. Some snack food companies create products to trigger your brain’s switch, making eating one chip or cookie hard. Therefore, consider preparing your own snacks to snack healthily using a variety of fresh and whole foods.