Satisfying the holiday sweet tooth, healthily

Finding healthy snacks can be a challenge. Often times it is overwhelming at the grocery store because snacks are packed with fat, sodium and sugar.

Halloween is just around the corner and lots of students enjoy snacking on candy. Halloween candy is packed with sugar, but some are healthier than others. Choose plain chocolate or dark chocolate without caramel and nuts or other nougat fillings. Twizzlers are low in fat and don’t have as much sugar as some other popular candies. Reading the nutrition labels can be the first step to choosing healthy snacks.

According to KidsHealth.org, labels can be deceiving. Just because a snack claims it is low fat doesn’t mean that it is actually healthier. If most of the fat is taken out of the snack, then something has to replace that fat and most of the time it is sugar. Low-fat snacks might have less fat, but they almost always have the same amount of calories.

In addition, check the serving size when you are eating a snack. Many times, a snack may look like it is only one serving, but after you have eaten the entire bag, you realize it was three servings. That means triple the fat, calories, sugar and sodium.

The importance of healthy snacks, especially for young adults in college with busy schedules, cannot be emphasized enough. Healthy snacking keeps the body energized throughout the day. Although it may be faster and more convenient to buy the bag of potato chips, there are much better alternatives.

Making your own granola or trail mix will cut out all of the preservatives manufacturers put in their snacks. Cross country graduate assistant Rich Dobson loves eating healthy snacks.

“I try to pair at least one nutrient dense food, which are fruits or vegetables, with complex carbohydrates,” Dobson said. “My favorite snack I make is sliced strawberries and bananas with yogurt and granola.”

Fruits and vegetables are easy fast snacks. They are high in vitamins, antioxidants and fiber which will keep your mind more attentive in class. Junior outdoor education major Dani Destiche eats healthy snacks, even as a vegetarian.

“I love edamame,” Destiche said. “It’s easy for me because it only take 3 or 4 minutes to cook. Then I add a little salt and lemon juice. It’s just a great way for me to get protein and fiber.”

While grocery shopping, always choose whole grains. Snacks that are high in complex carbohydrates, which are high in fiber, will you keep you full longer. White breads and crackers provide little health benefits. Frozen yogurt or sorbet is better than ice cream, which is high in fat and sugar. Choose pretzels over potato chips. Snacking on cheese and yogurt is a good way to get your daily calcium servings.

Although many college students say they snack because they are in a rush, making time for healthy snacks will keep you living a long and healthy life. A simple strategy for limiting junk-food snacks is that if you don’t buy them, you won’t eat them. As long as your refrigerator is stocked with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cheese and yogurt, if you are truly hungry, then you will eat what you have.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 30 2009. Filed under Health & Science. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry