Snack Attack!

I was chatting with Nutritional Therapist Caren Richards recently about snacking and what were some healthy alternatives; this is what she had to say:

I often see clients in clinic who eat 3 healthy balanced meals per day but still feel below par or are putting on weight. In many cases it is the foods that they eat in between meals that are causing the problem. Crisps, cakes, biscuits, sugary cereal bars and chocolate are high calorie, high sugar, high fat foods that have very little nutritional benefit. These snacks will affect blood sugar balance which may cause hunger pangs thereby increasing the temptation to reach for another ‘snack fix’. The timing of the snack is important too, night time snacking can raise total and LDL cholesterol and reduced fat oxidation.

It is not all bad news though, eating a small snack that contains protein has been found to reduce hunger, increase fullness, delay subsequent eating and lower the amount eaten at the next meal. A recent study showed that children ate 72% fewer calories when protein was included in their snack compared to snacks that did not contain protein. Snacks are also a great way to improve your nutrient intake, for example adding nuts and seeds will give your magnesium and zinc levels a boost!

So here are a few ideas:-

• Small portion of fruit (e.g. strawberries) with mixed nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
• Natural or greek yogurt with added nuts and seeds
• Veggie sticks and hummus (carrots, peppers, etc.)
• Wholegrain pocorn (Popcorn exerted a stronger effect on short-term satiety than potato chips in a recent study)

For more information on healthy snacking or any nutritional topics, contact Caren via her website or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.