To snack or not to snack?

Whether we want to admit it or not, we’ve all been guilty of grabbing a less than healthy snack at some point in our lives. It’s so easy these days with the sheer variety of quick and easy options. Yet how are our snacking choices impact our waistlines? Are they having a negative effect on our health?

How does snacking affect us?

Snacking out of boredom rather than hunger can often cause unnecessary weight gain, as you’re consuming more calories than your body really needs. We may not consider the consequences of grabbing a small snack here and there, but the calories soon add up if we aren’t being careful.

Consuming the wrong items can also cause serious health repercussions. Snacking on refined sugars such as chocolate bars or crisps for example, can lead to long-term conditions such as heart disease. This will also affect your energy levels throughout the day as you will receive a sudden burst of energy from, which can lead to a sugar crash and cause your body to struggle to stabilise its blood sugars.

Go-to snacks

Snacking on the correct foods as well as measuring the right portion sizes can significantly boost your health. Recent studies have shown that consuming a small amount of food every 2-3 hours can boost your metabolic rate and that eating little and often is the healthiest approach. It can also stop yourself becoming over ravenous and then eating more than your recommended daily calories at mealtimes. If you’re feeling hungry don’t wait until your next meal as this can cause you to overeat later in the day. Your body is often the best indicator to listen to so eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. Some great healthy snacks to opt for include fresh fruit, raw vegetables such as celery/carrot sticks, nuts, seeds and boiled eggs. These types of foods will lead to a slow release of energy preventing a drop in blood sugars and keep you fuller for longer.

Snacking tips

Eat slower – this will give your body time to register when it is full, preventing overeating

Drink water- sometimes if we are thirsty our body can produce signals that we are hungry. Having a drink can often satiate our hunger and make us less prone to snacking

Leave healthy snacks nearby – if you hide unhealthy snacks out of sight but keep healthier options within easy reach you are more likely to snack on healthier food options.