To Snack or Not to Snack
Are you curious about your snacking habits? Read more to find out if they are serving you.
FAQ: Dr. Barnett, should I eat a healthful snack between meals or not snack at all?
Dr. Barnett: I frequently get asked this question. I first explain how snacking affects your blood sugar. This allows the individual to make his or her own informed decision. Your choices about what and how often to eat may also vary day to day, depending on your body’s energy expenditure and requirements.
“Snack” foods tend to be less nutritious than foods you eat at meals. Snack foods are often high in sugar and carbohydrates, have more artificial substances and more calories than “real” whole food.
If your snacking results in eating as often as every two to three hours, you could be training your body to rely on burning snack calories (often from carbohydrates). Extending the frequency of eating to every three to four hours (and sometimes longer) can signal the body to dip into using fat stores for energy instead.
Eating carbohydrates frequently can keep insulin levels elevated. If you are not utilizing these carbohydrate calories within a few hours of intake, insulin will convert the carbohydrates (glucose) to fat stores.
Overeating during a single meal can also result in increased fat stores. If you have a hard time controlling portions at your main meals, having a blood-sugar regulating snack between meals can prevent you from overeating. The goal is to consume a snack in order to decrease and moderate the calories you ingest during meal time.
What snacks do I recommend? It’s important to plan your snacks so that they are readily available and balanced with protein, fat and some fiber.
Try:
-A piece of sliced turkey with avocado over a high fiber cracker or 1 slice sprouted grain bread.
-Half of an apple with 1 tablespoon of nut butter.
-A small handful of nuts (about ten)
-A small low-fat, low-sugar yogurt with 1 teaspoon chia seeds