Who doesn’t love snacks? A quick bite here, a nibble there, a crunch crunch. There are two schools of thought behind snacking; to snack, or not to snack.
Not to Snack:
A rather straightforward argument, those calories do add up after all. Plus all the sugars, oils, and processed ingredients most snacks have just aren’t all that great for us in larger quantities. There’s also the issue of filling up on nothing but junk food, leaving no room or appetite for proper meals, which is not ideal to maintain proper health and body functions.
To Snack:
On the other hand, snacks can be quite beneficial throughout the day. A small snack between meals can curb that gnawing feeling in your stomach, provide a small kick of energy, and have even shown to help keep blood pressure at a more stable level. The ‘catch’ to all this however, is that snacks should really be a small and healthy option, things like baby carrots, fresh fruit, and yogurt. Unfortunately that means all those salty crunchy chips or rich smooth chocolates are off the table, at least for primary snacking, every now and then doesn’t hurt. Snacking also plays an important role for the older adults who tend to have a lower overall appetite, as it helps them get nutrients they may otherwise skip out on.
Snacking has its place, when done properly and healthily, so grab your celery sticks and a (small) dab of peanut-butter and munch on!