Snacking Series: How to Make the Most of Eating Between Meals
Snacking is a fact of life for most of us. Research shows that, in America, about 25 percent of our daily calories come from snacks. Despite their ubiquity, snacks have developed a bit of a bad rap. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) warn against eating too many snack foods and call out snacks as a significant source of calories. But the DGAs also include an important caveat: Not all snacks are created equal. Before we dive into whether or not snacks are beneficial for our health, let’s define the word. The definition of a “snack” is a little complicated. Technically, a snack is any portion of food that is consumed between the traditional three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. We often think of snacks as smaller in portion size than a meal. But as eating patterns have evolved over time, the line between what and when something is a snack or a meal has blurred. Some people may replace a meal with a smaller “snack-sized” portion of food, while others eat more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day. For our purposes, we’ll define snacks as a smaller portion of food. Now that we know what we’re working with, let’s address one common question: Are snacks bad for our health? Some research has suggested that calories Americans get from snacks have increased, but without a corresponding increase in important nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins or minerals. This is also referred to as an increase in the “energy density” of snacks. But that doesn’t mean that all snacking leads to negative health consequences. Quite the contrary. Here are three things to keep in mind about snacking. 1. Snack with a Purpose You can snack with purpose and pick snacks that are more nutrient-dense. This means choosing snacks that help you […]
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