Snacking Smart

With most people juggling many responsibilities these days, whether it be work, sport, school plus an active social life, it becomes easy to lose sight of the importance of snacking, let alone make healthy snack choices!

How Snacking is Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

Even if you’re eating 3 meals a day, you may still feel yourself getting a case of the munchies between meals. The answer? Health snacks! Nutritionists have sighted the importance of refuelling your body throughout the day in order to maintain your energy levels, regulate blood sugar levels and keep your mind alert.

What constitutes “Healthy Snacks”?

Although snacks maybe be a fantastic way to keep hunger pains at bay and help your body get all the daily vitamins and nutrients its needs, there is no benefit gained by chowing down on a truck load of fried foods and sugary sweets. Though this may give your body a temporary boost, snacks high in saturated fat, sugar and calories will only serve to slow you down in the long run. To make healthy snacking choices you should try to stay away from foods with lots of simple carbohydrates, ie sugars found in lollies, chocolates, cakes and biscuits. Additionally fried foods and other snacks high in fat should be avoided. Instead try to include foods which are low in GI and contain complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads and cereals as well as unprocessed foods such as fruits and vegetables.

Strategies for Snacking Smart

Just because you know how to snack smart, doesn’t necessarily mean you do it! Therefore it maybe important to adopt some strategies to help you make healthy snacks a part of your everyday routine:

Plan Snacks in Advanced – Why not cut up some fresh fruit or veggies and have a range of ready to go snacks on hand to grab for work or the school lunch box?
Take Snacks With You – Many people have seen the benefit of stashing snacks on them so there is always something healthy in reach. Mixed nuts, dried fruit, crackers and fruit are perfect to stow away in you handbags, gym bag or back pack.
Mix it Up – Healthy eating doesn’t have to equal a boring eating plan. Make sure you indulge and enjoy a variety of healthy choices to keep things interesting.
Satisfy through Substitution – Hungry for some hot chips? Craving a chocolate? Why not satisfy your craving through some satisfying substitutes? Next time your body calls for a sugar boost why not try a low fat hot chocolate or a couple of pieces antioxidant filled dark chocolate?

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