Snacking every day can ruin your efforts to maintain a healthy weight. In addition, when we adopt this (bad) habit, we generally turn to fatty, (too) salty or too sweet foods. How to snack healthier, depending on your desires? Our expert answers you.
Snacking may indicate a lack of nutrients
First of all, it is important to remember that snacking can be a (bad) habit, obviously, but also a signal from your body to alert you of a potential nutritional deficiency. Indeed, our body needs essential nutrients to function. Sometimes our brain sends signals to push us to provide it with what it lacks.
But in return, we may tend to respond with inappropriate foods, such as processed products or stimulants, such as coffee. This mechanism therefore maintains snacking and dietary imbalance.
What are the alternatives to these products?
To limit the urge to snack, it is essential to provide all the nutrients to our body. To do this, you must adopt a balanced diet containing lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, legumes, without forgetting good fats, such as olive oil, for example.
What can you replace a desire for “bad snacking” with?
If you still have cravings for “bad snacking”, here’s what to replace them with, according to dietician-nutritionist Raphaël Gruman.
- “If you crave sugar, you can increase your portion of whole grains.” recommends our expert first. “In fact, they have the ability to deteriorate more slowly and limit cravings.. Along the same lines, he recommends replacing the sugar usually consumed during snacking (biscuits, candies, chocolate bars, etc.) with fresh fruit. “Avoid cooked fruits, as the glycemic index is generally high, or dried fruits like dates, which contain a lot of sugar” he advises again. Cinnamon is also a spice to include in your diet in this situation. “It helps fight insulin resistance” says our expert. “It is easy to consume, you can put it in natural yogurt, for example” ;
- If you usually snack on salty foods, like peanuts or cashews, for example, the dietitian recommends replacing them with unsalted ones. “And for salt, in cooking, reduce the quantities used and favor spices, aromatic herbs… To give flavor to your food” advises Raphaël Gruman;
- Finally, if you rather like fatty products, our expert recommends replacing them with healthier alternatives such as avocado or oilseeds. “Certain seeds, such as those of flax or squash, can also replace fatty foods usually snacked on, they will provide good fats.
© True Medical
Alternatives to snacking
Also remember to drink enough fluids, as proper hydration is essential for the body to function properly. As a bonus, this is an excellent anti-snacking tip because dehydration can be confused with hunger and thus push you to eat, more than necessary!