A recently published study on snacking, led by Christopher Taylor, Professor of Medical Dietetics and Family Medicine with Ohio State University’s School of Health and Rehabilitation, lit up the news media around Christmas with headlines like, “Snacking Epidemic: New Research on America’s Obsession with Snacks” (Forbes), “Do Americans Have a Snacking Problem” (WPTV – West Palm Beach), and “American Adults Eat Extra Meal Each Day in Junk Food” (New York Post).
I believe the negative emphasis of these headlines and much of the general reporting on snacking gets it backwards.
Sure the study finds that snacking amongst Americans (sorry, they just produce more research papers than we do) has increased significantly, and some of the findings are concerning. The average U.S. adult now consumes between 400 and 500 calories per day in snacks, which represents approximately 25 percent of recommended daily caloric intake. These snacks, being consumed each day in volumes equal to a regular meal, contain a disproportionate amount of added sugars and fats which offer little nutritional value. The 40 percent of Americans who “at least occasionally replace meals by snacking,” most likely lunch or breakfast, are significantly altering their nutritional intake away from protein, fruits, and vegetables to empty carbohydrates, sugars, and salt.
The study lists some of the reasons beyond thirst, hunger, and food insecurity which cause people to snack: boredom, indulgence, a social culture built around food, availability, psychological and emotional stress, and distracted eating because junk snacks simply taste good. We could add marketing pressure. It doesn’t help that the American food and beverage industry and spends more than U.S. $11 billion annually promoting sugary drinks, candy, unhealthy snacks, and fast food.
The study also found, however, that participants with diabetes had healthier snacking habits than those who were pre-diabetic or had no diabetes at all. Taylor attributed this to dietary education, and suggests that it’s time to concentrate on healthy snacking and whether snacks can fulfill our nutritional needs. “We’ve gotten to a point of demonizing individual foods,” says Taylor, “but we have to look at the total picture. Removing added sugars won’t automatically make the Vitamin C, Vitamin D, phosphorus and iron better. When you take something out, you have to put something back in, and the substitution becomes just as important as the removal.”
To be helpful, the reporting on Taylor’s findings needs to stress the benefits of astute snacking, not all the negatives associated with poor snacking habits. A study published in The National Library of Medicine in January 2022 says, “Hope was found as a more consistent and strong predictor of the following expressions of coping: well-being, individual and societal resilience, depression and anxiety. It can be concluded that hope is a better and more consistent predictor of coping …compared with fear or threats.” Forget the fearsome headlines. A positive, hopeful approach understands that properly timed snacks comprised of the right ingredients offer a multitude of health benefits.
Participants with diabetes had healthier snacking habits than those who were pre-diabetic or had no diabetes at all
“You just had dinner 10 minutes ago!” exclaims my wife as she catches me grabbing a handful of cashews or one last cookie as I leave the kitchen after cleaning up. Busted. And so begins an evening of snacking every half hour until bedtime. It doesn’t matter significantly whether the evening will be spent in front of the computer, working out in the basement, repairing a bike or kayak, or reading; you can set your watch to the regularity of my four nightly snacks. Those four evening snacks—okay, most of them—are designed to supplement or balance my individual daily nutritional requirements as I see them. I can’t resist snacks, so making them part of the plan, rather than a willy-nilly selection of which bag or box of junk is closest to the cupboard door, works for me.
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Snacks that are high in fibre or protein make us feel full, satiating us faster than chips or cake, which helps us consume less calories. They’re also much more likely to contain useful vitamins and minerals. Voluminous and dense yet low-calorie snacks take up more space in our stomachs, again assisting us to consume fewer calories per snack. High-energy snacks can help us burn more calories, and improved metabolism helps us process our food better. Bananas, yogurt with berries, sesame seeds, cashews, dates, hardboiled eggs, fatty fish (yes, a small can of tuna or sardines can be an excellent, if odorous, snack), hummus, and cinnamon all fit one or more of the above categories.
Want to make healthier snack choices when mealtimes are stretched and your hunger pangs are real? An apple with nuts, seeds or peanut butter tops many healthy lists. Apples have antioxidants, flavonoids, and fibre, which contribute to reducing inflammation, lowering the risk of heart disease, and may help gut health. Nuts, seeds and peanut butter help control triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol while boosting HDL (good) cholesterol. Plain, air-popped popcorn is a perfect snack. It contains B Vitamins, minerals like iron, and fibre with minimal calories. You can even cheat a tiny bit and add maple or cinnamon flavor. Roasted chickpeas, fruit, beet chips, walnuts; there are tons of options.
Diabetes Care Community, a Bracebridge Ontario online education and marketing corporation, provides a list of healthy snacks directed specifically to diabetics. Yogurt and berries, almonds, hummus, raw non-starchy vegetables, and turkey roll-ups are on their list, and we’re reminded that the right snacks between meals can help control blood sugar levels for Type 2 diabetes. Want more protein in your snacks? Try making your own beef jerky or purchase a low salt, low fat, low additive version commercially. Trail mix is a wonderful protein-rich snack because it stores easily and is endlessly customizable. Nut choices, raisons or dates, dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, large seeds, and more can be added or deleted to fit your tastes and needs.
Tuna and sardines are on the protein list too. Easily transportable, no refrigeration needed, inexpensive and filled with omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation. Lists of healthy snacks aimed generally or targeted to specific needs abound on the web. Make certain that you trust the source, and search what works best for you.
If you think it might be time to re-evaluate your snacking, consider these few tips from a veteran. If you’re low on willpower in the kitchen, remember there’s no law that says you absolutely must push that heavy grocery cart through the aisle of death between stacks of chips, pretzels, soda pops and energy drinks. Snacks have to be easy, accessible and quick. A bowl of cherries, strawberries or grapes on the kitchen counter, washed and ready to grab, might just keep you from opening the fridge or cupboard door. If you enjoy fruits or berries and yogurt cold, don’t bury them at the back of the fridge. Take the time to make your own trail mix, then place it in front of the chips, pretzels and processed cookies or crackers in your cupboard.
As with anything we attempt, a plan and a little preparation can go a long way to success.
