The Mirror's Health , Lifestyle and Fashion
Right ways to snack
It ,however, happens that a lot of what we have available to snack on end up delivering more energy into our systems than what our normal meals should be giving us.
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This makes it several meals of the day instead of just three well balanced ones. In some cases, we are compelled to advise people to try and do away with snacks so that they can be free from the extra calories those snack push into them; leaving them with much energy to store as fat.
Look out for fat when choosing a healthy snack. The fattier the food is, the more inappropriate it becomes when it comes to using that food as a snack.
Why do I say so? There is a load of energy in fat that ideally should be reserved for main meal times. That helps more; in terms of the attainment of nutrients from a major meal and early satiety which helps control meal portions.
These are benefits we derive from the fat in our food. Due to their high energy values, you do not have to eat too much of fatty foods by the end of the day. Just reserve fat for breakfast, lunch and supper.
Look out for sugar when choosing a snack. Most of the pastries eaten as snacks are already starchy.
These starches break down to become sugar after digestion. This is one of the reasons why when they have added sugar, one should be worried and careful about them. In such sweetened pastries, you get sugar from the added sugar and the very food itself. Be careful with them.
Look out for protein when choosing a healthy snack. Once these proteins are not fatty, include them in your snack options. They help curb hanger for later when the main meal arrives.
Unlike the fats and sugar, proteins, when fat free, will not leave lots of calories to contend with. These fat free or lean proteins can also be great add-ons to salads in place of the usual salad dressings. Make good use of proteins when it comes to your snack choices.
Look out for salt when choosing your next and future snacks. Too salty is not good, so go for either unsalted snacks or those with just a little salt.
Fruits do make for excellent snacks provided you do not load up too much on them. They contain sugar, that is the fact.
Taking plenty of these fruits means a high fruit sugar intake which will make lots of calories available. In the end, the amount of calories delivered may surpass the one to be gotten from main meals.
Therefore, it makes some sense to go low on fruit portions when using them for snacks.
Vegetable salads actually make excellent snacks for people who cherish their health. Especially if eaten with salad dressings. Adding proteins can make them more appealing any day.
These vegetable salads can even be eaten at night and there will be no problem at all. Remember, eat them without much dressings.
Light soup is the next super snack option, believe me. It should just not be oily like the ones from fatty meat. Less oily soups like the one from dry fish and lean meat are the best. You can even drink these soups at night.
Read more at www.letsabooks.com
The writer is a DIETICIAN at the Trust Hospital and AUTHOR of the following books;
1. Be your own dietician – Vol. 1
2. Eating to prevent and manage lifestyle diseases.
3. LIVE LONG by eating well – Vol. 1
Contact 0244090262 for copies. Also you can download my books from the Google Play Store.
