Hungry Now? The 4 Most Important Benefits of Healthy Snacking!

Nutrition plays a key role in a healthy lifestyle as it impacts your overall health. While this is not up for debate, you may wonder if snacking is really good or bad for you. This actually depends on what you consider a snack! Healthy snacking benefits your body, but eating a burger, chips or candy will not as these are unhealthy and provide no nutrients to the body.

Instead of these, try healthy munchies like carrots or jackfruit chips to experience the benefits of healthy snacking. Even though the healthy snacking trend seems like it is going against the weight loss race, you can find various healthy snacks that can actually help you lose weight. Read on to understand the benefits of healthy snacking.

What is healthy snacking? 

Healthy snacking is to pick foods to eat in between meals that are low in added sugar and fat. These snacks usually contain more fiber and water [1]. With the help of healthy snacking, you can consume fewer calories but feel full for longer. Think of having a slice of watermelon rather than eating a bag of chips for instance.

Here are some of the common healthy snacks. 

• Fruits – apple, watermelon, pear, orange, grapes
• Vegetables – carrot, celery, tomato, cucumber 
• Whole grain snacks – cereal, plain popcorn, nuts
• Low fat dairy – soya milk, almond milk, vegan cheese 

Additional Read: Everyday Superfoods  For Your Daily Meals

Why is healthy snacking important?  

Earlier, people didn’t consider snacking a good habit, assuming it didn’t support weight loss or maintenance. But snacking is now being recognized as a necessary part of your diet. Healthy snacking is important as it can provide you energy in the middle of the day if you are feeling dull or tired [2]. It is also a great way to start your workout or keep from overeating during meals. Switching to healthy snacks can be a challenge at first but there is a wide variety to choose from. Just make sure that you don’t consume unhealthy snacks to remain healthy lifestyle and feel energized. 

What are the benefits of healthy snacking? 

1.Helps in weight control 

Healthy snacking keeps extreme hunger at bay, so you don’t end up overeating and gaining weight. If you eat three big meals, you can reduce the quantity of each meal with the help of healthy snacking and help your body digest faster. This helps control your weight.

2. Boosts brain power 

Healthy snacks act as fuel for your body, making you alert and helping you focus on work. Choosing foods like avocadoes and dark chocolate boosts your brain function by keeping your energy levels up.

3. Provides energy and uplifts mood 

Healthy snacks keep you going all day by refreshing your energy. They can also help in uplifting your mood and mental well-being [3].

4. May help lower risks of some diseases 

Healthy snacking may help decrease your risk of developing diabetes or heart disease. This happens because snacking at proper intervals evens out your blood sugar and may also help lower your cholesterol. If you are working on improving your overall health, snacking may help.

Additional Read: Antioxidants and Antioxidant-rich Foods

What are some healthy snacking tips?  

• Keep your snacks small – between 150 and 200 calories 
• Be sure to eat within a gap of every 3 to 5 hours
• Try to have a snack between breakfast-lunch and lunch-dinner
• Avoid having a snack late at night unless you are hungry
• Drink a glass of water after each snack for better digestion

What should be included in a satisfying snack? 

It is important to pick healthy snack options that have a balance of the following. 

• Protein 
• Carbohydrates 
• Fats 
• Vitamins 

Choosing wisely will help you stay satisfied and energized.

Whether you are a student, a working professional or a senior citizen, you can start with healthy snacking to help you power through the day. Food is the fuel to our body and nutritious munchies can help you stay focused by giving your brain a mini break. If you are ready to start eating healthy and reap its benefits, get guidance on Bajaj Finserv Health. You can online consult top nutritionists on the platform to create a proper diet plan by understanding the positive and negative impacts of snacking. Make positive diet choices and achieve your health goals easily!