Nutritional Concerns About Snack Foods
With the work day stretching later and people feeling busier than ever, snacking is common for many. The snack may be a piece of fruit or maybe it's a seemingly innocuous muffin loaded with calories and sugar. Because snacking is so common for many people, nutritional concerns are just as important as the nutritional value of full meals. Consider these potential pitfalls next time you pick a quick snack from a vending machine.
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Portion control
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To make the calorie and nutrition content appear less egregious, many snack information may say "serving size 2" or even 3. Translation? Multiply all of the nutritional information by the serving size. For example, a bag of pretzels from a vending machine may have 130 calories and 3 grams of fat, but contain 3 servings. This equals a much-higher 390 calories and 9 grams of fat for one bag. Checking the portion size for snack foods is critical to avoid overeating snack foods.
Low nutrients
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Vending machines seldom carry healthy snacks, in part because preserving healthy foods like fruits and vegetables requires more technology than the average vending machine possesses. In turn, portable snacks meant to last for hours are often low in nutrients. Pretzels, donuts, candy, chips, muffins and yes, even granola bars, have very few nutrients.
On these typical snack foods, the label reads no vitamins, few minerals, negligible amounts of iron, some fiber and B vitamins if it is fortified. Nutrients rather than calories are a better way to gauge how long a food can keep you full. Foods low in nutrients cause the body to feel hungrier sooner. Foods high in vitamins and nutrients, especially fiber, can help the body feel fuller for longer.
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High calories
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Snack foods can be calorie bombs disguised in cute packaging. Some snacks can be very misleading based on the size of the bag. While it may appear to be a smaller bag compared with the size offered in grocery stores, snack bags can be loaded with empty calories. As an example, calorieking.com reveals that 20 Fritos tortilla chips carry 320 calories with 30 percent fat. Ouch!
High sugar
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Sugary foods like hard candy or foods high in carbohydrates like donuts and muffins are known as simple carbs. Simple carbs from these refined foods, as explained in the book "Nutritional Healing," contribute to health problems like diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Unless the snack food is also high in fiber, like fruit, simple carbohydrates cause a spike in blood sugar levels followed by a crash. This reaction generates a quick energy jolt followed by a feeling of fatigue. Therefore, the snack food intended to stimulate energy levels and cause satiety can actually cause you to feel even more exhausted than before you ate anything at all.
Tips
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Navigating the grocery store for the best snack foods can be difficult. For the best snack foods that are easily portable, opt for whole pieces of fruit. Nuts are also an excellent snack food. While they are high in calories, they also contain minerals and omega 3 fatty acids that boost brain power. Fruit will provide quick sugar with fiber to stabilize blood sugar levels and a handful of nuts will keep you satiated for hours.
As a tip, choose raw, unsalted nuts like walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts. If this sounds too bland, opt for roasted nuts with some sea salt as a backup. Avoid nuts cooked in oil covered with salt or other flavors if possible. Likewise, choose whole pieces of fruit over sugary fruit cups or dried fruit, which can have added sugar and preservatives.
For other healthy snacks, see Resources below.
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