If you’re trying hard to avoid snacks, stop it now! Most experts agree that snacking is quite good for you, as long as you do it right. Your physical, psychological and overall wellbeing all depend on healthy snacking. Here’s why munching between meals is important.
It gives you extra nutrients
If you don’t get to take enough essential nutrients during the meal, snacks will certainly help you reach the optimal number. For instance, snacking on fruit and veggies will give you extra vitamins, fibre, protein and complex carbohydrates. Low-fat cheese and yoghurt will give you more calcium and nuts can enrich your body with healthy fats and make your heart and brain work perfectly.
It prevents starvation mode
If you’re trying to lose a few pounds, eating a healthy snack can actually help you on your mission. When you’re dieting and not eating for longer than 6 hours, your body enters “starvation mode” that slows down your metabolism and encourages energy conservation. This makes burning calories harder and gaining weight easier. So, don’t let yourself starve, but create a habit of healthy snacking.
It prevents overeating
If you make long pauses of not eating between meals, you’ll certainly get hungrier and overeat once you sit down to eat. So, as soon as you start feeling very hungry, take a small and healthy snack instead of waiting for the meal. If you create a good snack of good carbs from grains and veggies with some protein from nuts and dairy, you’ll get a small snack that will keep you full for a longer time.
It helps maintain normal sugar levels
The food you consume gets transformed into glucose that gets used for energy. Once you get too much or too little food, your glucose levels shift and you start feeling different side effects like nausea, headache, dizziness and even fainting spells. However, healthy snacks of vegetables, fruit, hummus, dairy, boiled eggs or low-fat meat will prevent sugar spikes and dips and keep you healthy and full. And if you have a habit of snacking in front of the TV, replace chips with air-popped popcorn. They are super easy to make, especially in quality Bosch microwaves with a popcorn program. Just enter the size of the bag and you’ll get healthy and delicious popcorn in minutes!
It gives you extra energy
If you often feel drained and sluggish, you might need a good, healthy snack! Complex carbs, protein and good fats all provide you with much more energy than sweets. Sugary snacks are the worst as they cause glucose spikes and drops which leave you feeling tired and even hungrier than before. So, load up on healthy snacks and you’ll get enough energy to push through even the hardest and most boring of tasks until you have a real, full meal!
It keeps you focused
American Dietetic Association conducted an experiment on school children that came to the conclusion that healthy snacks boost academic performance. Kids who had good snacks between meals were better at understanding and retaining information than their snack-less peers. The same goes for adults at work. A small, but a healthy snack at work can help you work faster and more efficiently and stay focused on the task at hand. Even just a few bites of hummus, veggies, popcorn or a homemade energy bar will help boost your performance.
Healthy snacks are really good for your body, as long as you avoid eating too much or eating right before your actual meal. Additionally, emotional snacking or snacking out of boredom can lead to overeating, weight gain and obesity. So, be mindful while enjoying your midday snack and make smart food choices. If you snack this way, you’ll get all the benefits without gaining weight!