Americans, on average, eat around 2.2 snacks per day. This can add up to 25% of your total calories per day. Because of this, choosing healthy snacks can significantly impact your health in the following ways:
Increase Your Nutrient Intake:
Eating healthy snacks can help you reach your daily nutrient needs and provide the vital nutrients your body requires.
Sustain Energy and Blood Sugar Levels:
In between meals, you may lose focus and energy. Healthy snacks can help prevent your blood glucose level from dropping, keeping you energized. This is especially helpful for people with diabetes.
Fueling for or Recovering from Exercise:
A well-fueled workout is a successful one. Similarly, consuming carbohydrates and protein within 60 minutes after exercise is vital for replenishing your energy and aiding in muscle recovery.
When planning your snacks, it’s important to consider both portion sizes and the quality of the foods you’re consuming.
Regarding portion sizes, a wonderful tip is to use your hand as a guide for serving sizes:
- Tip of thumb = 1 teaspoon
- Thumb = 1 tablespoon
- Cupped hand = ¼ cup
- Half-closed fist = ½ cup
- Closed fist = 1 cup
For example, pouring almonds into your cupped hand and stopping as you reach the base of your fingers is a great way to measure a ¼-cup serving. This tip can help with portion control, which is essential for maintaining weight and ensuring you don’t lose vital nutrients consumed during larger meals due to reduced hunger.
It can be challenging to replace all processed snacks with healthier options, but there are simple steps you can take to make it easier. If you’re tempted by cookies or pastries, try not to keep them in your home. Similarly, if you have a sweet tooth, avoid keeping candy at your desk. Instead, prepare homemade snacks like trail mix or hummus with vegetables for a quick, on-the-go option. Aim to create snack combos that include one or more macronutrients — carbohydrates, protein and fat — since this combination will make your snack more satisfying and filling. The key is to be more conscious of what you are snacking on.
Here is a chart to help you swap common snacks for healthier options. It includes various snacks focused on protein, carbohydrates, fats or a balanced combination of all three.
| Common Snacks | Healthy Alternative |
|
· Cookies/pastries · Potato chips · Ice cream |
· Smoothie bowl with dark chocolate or yogurt bark with dark chocolate and fruit · Veggie chips, popcorn or roasted chickpeas · Frozen yogurt |
| Protein rich | Carbohydrate focus |
|
· Hard-boiled eggs · Turkey and cheese rollups · Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit · Cottage cheese with veggies or fruit
|
· Fruit salad · Grain crackers with veggies · Sweet potato fries with yogurt dip · Rice cakes with nut butter or avocado
|
| Fat focus | All three macronutrients |
|
· Guacamole with veggies · Trail mix that contains nuts, coconut · Dark chocolate with almonds |
· Whole wheat crackers with turkey and cheese · Plain yogurt with granola, nut butter and fruit · Hummus and veggies |
Healthy snacks should be an enjoyable experience. The key is to stay mindful of portion sizes and be conscious of the ingredients you choose. By doing so, you can make satisfying, nutritious choices that align with your health goals.
By: Arielle Collins
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