Snacks: Yes or No?

The answer seems almost obvious: snacks, yes! Let’s find the best healthy snacks, since that not all foods are the same.

The idea of a snack should be associated with a small, nutritious meal, to provide the body with the correct caloric intake.

On average, a person weighing 70 kg with a relatively inactive lifestyle has an energy requirement (or metabolism) of around 2000 kcal.

Dividing these calories across five daily meals, we could have a breakdown in which 500 kcal are consumed in the main meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for a total of 1500 kcal.

The remaining 500 kcal could be divided into two snacks, one mid-morning and another in the afternoon.

Remember, the purpose of a snack is to break up the day between meals, acting mainly to curb hunger, thus preventing overeating during main meals.

But before to find the best healthy snacks, let’s have a look at our hormonal behaviour.

Hormonal Behavior

To get a clear idea of what happens in our body and how to control hunger, it’s helpful to understand the relationship between insulin and glucagon.

The key lies in controlling these two hormones, keeping insulin as low as possible. Insulin and glucagon are the primary hormones involved in the release and storage of energy.

When we eat, insulin enables our metabolism to store the excess energy for future use. When we are low on energy, glucagon signals our metabolism to burn stored fat and release energy for our body.

Insulin also helps prevent sugar levels in the body from getting too high, while glucagon, on the other hand, helps prevent a steep drop.

Our body is constantly seeking balance between these two hormones, with a particular focus on blood sugar.

High or low blood sugar levels can cause many issues, including coma and, in extreme cases, death.

Therefore, our body is an expert regulator of these hormones, employing a feedback system to release one hormone or the other as needed.

This regulatory circuit, which keeps blood sugar levels within a narrow range, should be properly maintained.

Eating nonstop throughout the day creates an insulin-dominant lifestyle, potentially leading to serious issues such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

Of course, not eating at all during the day and concentrating all meals into one, is not the best solution either.

This is where snacks come into play: and to find the best healthy snacks, a look at the correct proportion of protein and carbohydrates is needed.

Below, we provide a summary table showing the results of various experiments on how different foods impact the levels of these two hormones:

Tips

For many people, the afternoon snack is the most problematic because that’s when hunger strikes, craving for something sweet.

The first suggestion, is to replace processed products with most natural ones (such as pineapple, or dried fruits).

It’s certainly a good first step toward detoxifying your body from industrial sugars.

Here are some ideas for those on the go or in the office:

1. A cup of macadamia nuts (or regular nuts or dried fruit in general) and one piece of fruit.

2. Aged cheese (like Edam, Cheddar, or Parmesan) and one piece of fruit.

3. Ham with a handful of almonds.

4. Jerky and half an avocado.

Conclusion

Taking care of your health means preventing future diseases, and this largely involves reducing sugar consumption.

According to recent studies, such a precaution can help prevent many widespread diseases today, including diabetes and Alzheimer.

Replace artificial, junk food products and rediscover the pleasure of natural foods. Remember that sugar creates a dependency in our brains, forming stronger bonds than those caused by drug addiction.

However, once you get used to going without it, you’ll no longer feel the need to consume sugar.