Snacks have an important role to play in keeping energy levels up between meals. Nutrition experts support the view that eating smaller meals interspersed with a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack is better than overeating at meal times.
A drop in blood sugar can make you feel tired and lethargic, so a snack can help restore energy and can be another source of necessary nutrients.
All snacks will contain nutrients of one sort or another so all can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
For example:
- A digestive biscuit has 0.5g of fibre and 1.1g of protein. It also contains calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.
- As a comparison, an apple contains 2g of fibre and 0.3g of protein. It also contains calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin C.
- A 25g pack of Hula Hoops contains 0.5g of fibre and 0.8g of protein. The 7.2g of fat accounts for 8% of the GDA on fat for a man but potato hoops also contain calcium and iron as well as vitamins A and C.
Carbohydrates are important in the diet as they are broken down by the body into glucose.
- Glucose is essential for active brain function.
- A snack can help keep your blood sugar levels constant meaning there are less peaks and troughs in your energy levels.
- Healthy snacking should match your energy needs. Keep the portions small and vary the snacks you choose.
The main health issue associated with eating sugary snacks is the impact on dental health, particularly amongst those who do not use a toothpaste containing fluoride.
- Make sure you clean your teeth regularly and check the toothpaste that you use contains fluorides too.
- A drink of water after a sugary snack can also help dental health.
Balance:
The key to cracking snacking is understanding the levels of fat, sugar or sodium to aim to stay below on an average day over an average week.
Nearly all packaged snacks will show nutritional information on the back of packs and more of them now show Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) for calories, fat, sodium and salt to make it easier to work out. This puts you back in control. Look at the labels on the packs and decide for yourself, which snacks to choose.
If you indulge a bit on one day, then balance this out.
- Be a bit more active to burn off the extra calories.
- Reduce the calories you eat the following day.
If you work in an office, take it in turns with friends and colleagues to keep a fruit bowl full and available to all.
A snack at mid morning or mid afternoon can keep the mind and memory alert at key times of the day.
