Healthy, healthier, healthiest snacking
Would you like to snack less or healthier, but are you not quite sure how to do this best? Then Anniek Otten, dietician at Balanza, has some concrete tips for you.
Packaging (“Don’t be fooled by beautiful packaging. I often use as a guideline: the more beautiful the packaging, the unhealthier the product.”
Regular eating pattern (“Are you sensitive to a lot of sweets and snacking? Then it is advisable to have a good breakfast in the morning. If you don’t, you are more likely to get hungry later in the day. If you are hungry, you make faster impulsive choices. Often these are choices for foods that provide quick energy, such as chips, pastries, sweets and cookies. Keep a regular diet as much as possible, then the chance that you overeat is also smaller.”
Be prepared (“To avoid reaching for unhealthy foods, make sure you always have a healthy snack with you. Think of an apple, a handful of nuts or snack vegetables.”
Rate your hunger (“Are you hungry and want to grab a snack? First rate your hunger on a scale from 0 to 10 and think about how hungry you are. Is it really because you haven’t eaten for a long time, or is it more ‘head hunger’? , so do you just feel like something tasty? Reflect the choice you want to make, that makes it easier to resist something unhealthy.”
Learn to read packaging (“Awareness starts with information provision. Teach yourself to read the information on packaging. Do you know exactly what is in something and what the nutritional values mean? Then you might leave it next time because the product turns out to be much unhealthier than you thought. Under others the amount of sugar is important to know. If a lump of sugar is four grams, how many lumps of sugar are there in each serving?”
Choose whole grain products (“Whole-grain products contain a lot of fiber. These inhibit the absorption of carbohydrates, so that you get fewer peaks and troughs in your blood sugar. Whole-grain products also make you full faster and longer, so that you are less likely to reach for an unhealthy snack. your digestive system.”
Tips for healthy snacks – “Whole-wheat crackers, bread and pasta, supplemented with lots of vegetables. Vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, which keeps you feeling full for longer. Preferably use savory fillings such as cold cuts, cheese (20+ or 30+), sandwich spread, humus or peanut butter.”
Protein-rich products – “Proteins help you to feel fuller and feel full for longer. In addition, proteins are good for maintaining cells and muscle mass. So a lot of health benefits! Savory products generally contain more protein than sweet products. Examples of protein-rich foods are unsalted nuts , a bowl of yogurt or cottage cheese and legumes.”
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