Snacking must be counterproductive if you’re trying to manage your weight, right? Surely you have to be hungry to actually lose weight. Wrong!
As a nutritionist, I advocate for snacking. Snacking can in fact help you lose weight, have more energy, provide extra nutrients, and help curb your appetite.Â
Although snacks can be a regular and important part of a healthy diet, they can also lead to health problems. What differentiates the two scenarios is one’s snacking behaviour: what you snack on, why you snack, frequency of snacking, and how snacks fit into your overall eating plan.
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Benefits –Â
- Provides a boost of energy if several hours pass between meals and blood glucose levels drop.
- Helps curb your appetite to prevent overeating at the next meal.
- Provides extra nutrients when choosing certain snacks like fresh fruit or nuts.
- Can help maintain adequate nutrition if one has a poor appetite but cannot eat full meals, such as due to an illness.
Down falls –Â
- Unwanted weight gain if portions or frequency of snacking is too much, adding excess calories.
- Too much snacking can reduce hunger at meal times or cause one to skip a meal entirely, which increases the risk of losing out on important nutrients.
- Regular intake of ultra-processed snacks that contain added salt, sugar, and fats but are low in nutrients and high in calories can increase a preference for these types of foods, leading to a change in eating behaviours and diet quality.Â
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At RTH we believe meal planning is highly beneficial, particularly for snacking.
It’s a great idea to take the time to incorporate snack planning to ensure that snacks work for you, not against you. It can help to reflect on:Â
When –Â what hours of the day between meals might you feel hungry or tend to grab extra food?
Why –Â determine if you are truly hungry or eating because of an emotion (bored, stressed, tired, angry, etc.).Â
What –Â Decide which snack choices will satisfy you. A satisfying snack will alleviate hunger, be enjoyable, and help you to forget about food until your next meal! If you choose an apple when you really want salty popcorn or a creamy yoghurt, you may feel unsatisfied and want more.Â
How much –Â A snack portion should be enough to satisfy but not so much that it interferes with your appetite for a meal or adds too many calories. A general rule of thumb is to aim for about 150-250 calories per snack.
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Snacking is not inherently bad for you. It can (and should) be a healthy and important part of a balanced diet when done right.
The key is to make healthy food choices and only snack when we’re truly hungry.
So go ahead and enjoy a healthy snack when you need it, without guilt or fear.
