About Healthy Snacks
To maintain a well balanced diet and to remain at a healthy weight, one should eat small, healthy snacks in-between meals. There are many things to consider when choosing healthy snacks, such as calories, fat, nutrition, and additives. You can use the information below to make smarter decisions next time you want to munch. Does this Spark an idea?
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Significance
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A healthy snack keeps blood sugar at an even keel. When you eat the right amount of food, your blood sugar stays at the right levels, but if you go several hours without eating, your blood sugar will drop. Keeping your blood sugar from dropping is important because it helps regulate your metabolism. The American Diabetes Association also notes that eating healthy foods also helps to lessen the onset of diabetes.
Function
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If you go for several hours without eating, your body can run out of fuel. Healthy snacks help to refuel the body and sustain it until the next meal. Some experts suggest that eating small meals (snacks) every three hours instead of three large meals can help keep a body energetic all day long. This type of eating plan should be talked about with a physician before trying.
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Types
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There are many types of healthy snacks. The best kind are made from fresh fruits or vegetable, which contain quality protein and/or a high fiber content. Nuts, seeds, and eggs are good examples of quality proteins. Bran muffins, whole grain bagels, and wheat toast are good examples of high fiber snacks.
Misconceptions
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Snacks that are labeled "low fat" or "low calorie" may not be healthy. Check the labels to see what unhealthy items the product may contain. Check the sugar, salt, vitamin, and mineral content. Also, remember to check the calorie and fat amount. Sometimes, if an item says that it is low fat, often it will be high in calories and visa versa.
Considerations
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A general guideline is to choose a snack that is 100 calories or lower per serving. This can be achieved by paying attention to packaging labels and serving sizes. For those that don't have the time to measure servings, many companies have come out with 100 calorie snack packs. If you would like to eat a snack that has more than 100 calories, make sure that your snack's calorie count fits with your overall daily calorie count. For example, if you only need 1200 calories in a day and your snack is 500 calories, that takes a huge amount of calories out of your daily intake. You may want to choose a snack that has less calories or trim calories from one of your meals so that you do not go over your daily allotment.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Janusz Gawron
