What Is Healthy Snacking?

On average, Americans consume two snacks a day. Snacking accounts for nearly one-quarter of an individual’s daily caloric intake, approximately 500 calories. Because snacking consumes such a large portion of one’s caloric intake, it is essential to develop healthy snacking habits. We will examine the benefits of healthy snacking, including increased nutrient consumption, energy levels, snacking to recover from exercise, and how healthy snacks can help maintain one’s weight.

Increased Nutrients

Snacks are a great way to incorporate nutritional foods into your diet. Dietary foods are high in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and other nutrients. Nutrient-dense foods include whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, seafood, fruits, and vegetables.

Many individuals do not receive enough nutrients in their diets, which increases their risk of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, dental disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity. Choosing healthy snacks rich in nutrients rather than junk food with empty calories can improve one’s health.

Sustained Energy Levels

The foods you eat are designed to supply the body with energy. The body breaks down foods and transforms them into energy. Refined carbohydrates can provide you with a quick dose of energy; however, soon, you will be crashing and burning as your blood sugar levels spike and then plummet. Afterward, you will feel exhausted and hungry. Rather than eating sugary snacks, opt for high-fiber, high-protein snacks to help regulate your energy and glucose levels.

Exercise Recovery

A snack after a vigorous workout helps speed up muscle recovery and replenishes energy levels. Exercises like weight lifting and aerobics create stress in the body. Proper recovery following a workout helps tissues heal properly and improves performance.

Many people think they should eat high-protein foods right after a workout. However, vigorous exercise causes lactic acid to build up in the body, and protein is acidic, which can increase inflammation. Instead, choose an alkaline snack like fruit, rice cakes, or oatmeal. Then, about 30 minutes later, eat some protein. When selecting an after-workout snack, try to choose one that contains essential nutrients like magnesium to help relieve tired, achy muscles.

Weight Maintenance

Frequent snacking on candy, cookies, and chips offers no benefits. These snacks do not contain the nutrients your body needs, like vitamin D, iron, and calcium. Balanced snacks can help fill nutritional gaps and curb your appetite, preventing you from overeating at mealtimes. To avoid weight gain, choose healthy, low-calorie snacks. Some great snacks include fruits, vegetables, eggs, lean meat, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products.

Planning Your Snacks

Planning healthy snacks can help you avoid eating unhealthy snacks filled with calories and void of nutrition. Planning begins before you go to the grocery store. Write down a list of snacks you enjoy, and then go shopping. When you get home, chop up your fruits and veggies and portion them into individual snack-sized containers. This provides you with a grab-and-go snack.

Your snacks should be approximately 200 calories. The best snacks are low-fat and contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vegetables and fruits are great options. Choose whole-grain crackers or a piece of toast if you need something more substantial. You can also opt for healthy proteins like nuts, oatmeal, nut butter, boiled eggs, cheese, and yogurt.

Whole Grains

Whole grains contain nutrients like B vitamins, fiber, magnesium, protein, iron, manganese, and zinc. Replacing refined grains with whole grains can help decrease your risk of chronic illnesses like stroke, obesity, and heart disease. Some great examples of whole grains include:

• Barley
• Brown rice
• Buckwheat
• Bulgur
• Freekeh
• Millet
• Oatmeal
• Popcorn
• Quinoa
• Wheatberry
• Whole rye
• Wild rice

Nut Butters

In the past, you could only find peanut butter. Today, several nut butter on the market provide you with a healthy snack. Some of the most common nut butter include almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, and hazelnut butter.

Fruits

Fruits provide various nutrients, including potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C. The best fruits to include in your diet are berries, peaches, bananas, citrus, and melons.

Vegetables

Vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients, including potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and folic acid. The dietary fiber in veggies can help reduce cardiovascular disease risk, cholesterol levels, and bowel function. Click here to learn more about the nutritional benefits of vegetables.

Eggs

Eggs are rich in several nutrients and offer affordable, high-quality protein. Eggs contain vitamins A, D, E, B6, B12, and K. In addition to this, eggs contain zinc, copper, iron, betaine, and choline.

Seafood

Seafood contains essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA. Seafood helps improve immune function, heart health, and brain health.

Beans

Beans are a great source of protein and are filled with nutrients such as fiber, antioxidants, iron, folate, potassium, and zinc. They can be added to almost any meal as a side dish, soups, salads, pasta, and chili. Some examples of beans include lentils, white beans, red beans, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans.

Yogurt

Yogurt can be a very healthy snack; however, it is essential to note that not all yogurts are created equal. Some are laden with sugar and artificial flavorings and colorings. When shopping for yogurt, opt for plain or original-flavored yogurt with live and active cultures to improve immunity and boost your health.

Make healthy snacking an essential part of your diet. Choose snacks that are low-calorie, filling, and nutrient-dense. Learning how to eat healthily is the first step toward optimal health. Our integrative nutritionists can help you with customized meal plans to help boost your energy levels, increase your nutrition intake, and maintain your ideal weight.t