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10 Worthy-To-Follow Ways To Snack Smarter (#8 Is Our Top Fav!)
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Snacks, though light and sometimes ordinary, are parts of your food intake. They may not give the hunger satisfaction that we derive from the main course of meals taken by us in the morning, noon, or evening, but they sure have their own importance among the list of food and nutrition. Some old snacks like ‘‘pretzel, popcorn, cookies,’’ etc. are still around and still common in the 21st century. They are mostly eaten between meals, or just to keep the mouth busy, appearing like a fun play and sometimes to keep hunger in check for a short time before taking the actual meal.
As much as snacks have their own importance and they are good in their own way, they can be addicting, just like alcohol. This addiction is common among children more than adults, but adults too can get addicted to a particular snack that gets their fancy. Just as it is known that we pick our food due to the necessity of what we need from it in texture, nutrients, and so on, we must know that snacks must also be chosen wisely, because not every snack that tastes good is good for our health. A storage of the intake of some unhealthy snacks builds up overtime with high calories in the system, which may lead to some health complications like heart disease, obesity etc. In 2013, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD) revealed that 57.6% of Americans are obese. Away from genetic cause as a factor in obesity, eating patterns have been found to be among the contributory factors in obesity.
The focus of this explanations is not to scare us away from snacks, but to understand that we can make our choices wisely when dealing with snacking options. Just as we know that the health implications attributed to high alcohol use or tobacco intake has not stopped the alcohol or tobacco industry from making profits from the sales of their products. Also the snack industries will continue to make sales because people will continue to patronize them, including you, but there are ways to snack smartly whenever you feel like you need some extra food.
So, we suggest you learn a few simple and extremely smart ways to snack better for both your enjoyment and health.
1. Continuing Chewing
We have different habits and different ways of doing things to attain a feat. As much as some like doing things their own way, that is not to say that it is the best way to get things done. Being an adult may not stop us from behaving like little Andy In eating snacks, it is advisable to chew the snacks finely before swallowing. You wouldn’t want to visit the doctor because of stomach cramps or troubles, which of course is avoidable most times, had it been there was exhibition of nobility in eating.
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2. Snack on Fruits and Veggies
The healthiness found in snacking on fruits and veggies cannot be overemphasized, as it is known medically that natural vitamins and fibers are good in nutrition for the wellness of the body. So, rather than feeding most times on pastries, opt for fruits or veggies every now and then, and it will certainly do you some good.
3. Plan your Snacks
Rather than going outside without being specific, and taking snacks at random, due to impulse just because they look appetizing and seem to wink at you, you can plan daily for your snacks. Research about good snacks, and when you go out and feel like snacking — just get what you’ve planned to have. Don’t let good looking unhealthy snacks which are high in sugar and salt hijack you on the way like a trickster. Keep your focus and snack smarter.
4. Tame your Cravings
Everyone has what they fancy to consume each day, but the question is, how healthy are what they crave to consume? If you are among those who crave unhealthy snacks, and also satisfy the cravings due to addiction, then it is time to tame your cravings. There are days that we may crave anything available and feel like we can devour a whole deer just because of hunger, and by doing so, we pick chocolate, we feel it isn’t enough, then we go for cookies, and cakes, and on and on till we exceed the normal calories we are supposed to consume per day. Discipline is what is needed here. You won’t die or have ulcer by consuming little.
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5. Consider Grains
Feeding on cereals with high fibers is a great way to snack smarter and keep in shape, as they can give and retain energy in the body. Pretzels with low salt or tortilla chips are great in this aspect.
6. Go for Nuts
Nuts that are unsalted are great snacks during the day. You may try almonds, cashews, walnuts, or hazel nuts, or any nut you prefer. Though very nutritious, note that nuts do have some calories, so take care by regarding small portions when you eat them.
7. Bring back your breakfast
Later in the day, when you feel like munching on some snacks, you may want to try out some of the toasted bread you ate during breakfast when rushing off to work to beat the rush hour. Some of the toasted bread plastered with low sugar jam can be brought along with you, then you can devour them whenever you feel like.
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8. Eat with your right hand if you are a lefty, and vice-versa
One of the ways to snack smarter is by eating your snacks with the hand you don’t normally use. Sounds weird and funny? Yea it is, but a CNN report revealed a research in which study participants ate 30% less stale popcorn when they used their non-dominant hand, compared to when the dominant hand was used. This will of course help in the reduction of calorie intake.
9. Avoid eating in front of the TV
It is indeed fun to have something to munch on when watching an interesting movie. But the fact here is that people tend to take in more snacks when watching a long movie by the reason of distraction. A Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine revealed that 354 calories in snacks are consumed by people when seeing an action movie, but reduced to around 21 when watching a less exciting TV.
READ ALSO: 4 Healthy Snack Recipes For Back-To-School Season Video
10. Consume your snacks from a smaller bowl
When you eat from a smaller container, there is possibility in reducing your calorie intake, compared to when you use a bigger container because there is tendency for you to consume all.
In order to snack smarter, what is needed cannot be done without discipline. It may seem difficult at the commencement, but since you want to keep in shape, and you know the value of good health, you will take care of what you encourage yourself to consume, and the adhering to the discipline in snacking rightly won’t be much of a burden. The tips above are enough to carry someone through a successful and healthy snacking.
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