Is snacking a good or bad habit?
There is no clear-cut YES or NO answer to this question. One has to put it into some context. If you choose something healthy and nutritious, snacking can have a number of benefits. It can prevent you from being so hungry before your next meal, that you over-eat, without even realising it. Snacking on wholesome options is a great habit to prevent your blood sugar level from dropping between meals – giving you more sustained energy during the day. Healthy snacks are also a wonderful way to include certain foods that you may not regularly include in your meals, like nuts, seeds or enough fresh fruit.
When is a good time to snack?
Ideally, a meal should be satisfying enough to keep you full till the next one, but sometimes you may feel that your blood sugar levels (energy levels) start to drop. This is a good time to nibble on a healthy snack, to manage this. When your blood sugar drops too low, you start feeling peckish and fatigued. Preferably only snack when you are actually hungry – also determine if you may just in fact be thirsty. So, a glass of water when you start to feel ‘hungry’, may be enough to settle the craving. A healthy snack will keep you going till the next meal and prevent a vicious cycle of unhealthy snacking on foods that are just empty kilojoules with no nutritional value, like crisps or sweets. Or to eat so much in between meals, that you don’t enjoy a balanced plate of food at mealtime.
What can or should I snack on?
Choose snacks that will keep your energy levels stable and prevent them from dropping too low or spiking shortly after enjoying the treat. Snacks should be as natural, unrefined and unprocessed as possible. What you munch on should preferably not contain too much sugar, salt or unhealthy fats, so stock up on good choices. Reading food labels is a very effective way to know what is actually in the snacks you buy.
A snack with lots of fibre and healthy oils, will keep you fuller for longer, like nuts or seeds, a spoonful of peanut butter (with no added salt or sugar) or half an avocado. Fruit and veggies like small tomatoes, carrots, celery, a few mushrooms or slices of cucumber are also perfect to snack on and it’s a good habit to then combine them with a form of protein, like nuts. Or dip these in hummus or some cottage cheese. Stir peanut butter into a few spoons of plain yogurt and use it as a dip for veggies or fruit, like apples, pears, bananas, or any berries.
If you are making your own snacks, keep the same healthy principles in mind and never make the portion so big that it spoils your appetite at mealtime.
Keep snacks practical and on hand. A small portion in a transportable container makes it easy to grab when you feel hungry, instead of going to the tuck shop or café for a treat. A small bag or container of nuts can stay in your handbag, office drawer or a child’s school bag. Cut fruit and veggies to make it an easy, on-the-go nibble. Make nutritious snacks part of a healthy way of life.
Aromatic roasted nuts
Recipe from Heleen Meyer
An absolutely delicious mixture of nuts and spices – much healthier than opening a pack of crisps or even shop-bought salted nuts, as these can be much higher in salt than you may realise.
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
5 ml (1 tsp) ordinary paprika
2,5 ml (½ tsp) dried thyme
2,5 ml (½ tsp) ground cumin
2,5 ml (½ tsp) ground nutmeg
finely grated rind of a medium sized lemon and black pepper to taste
200 g unsalted nuts of your choice, like almonds, cashews, macadamias and even peanuts
- Preheat oven to 180 °C. Line a small baking tray with baking paper.
- Mix all the ingredients, except the nuts, together in a bowl until well blended. Toss in the nuts and make sure that they are well coated with the oil mixture.
- Roast for 10-12 minute or until just golden brown and crispy. Take care, as the nuts and spices can burn easily. The nuts can also be roasted in an air-fryer for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow to cool down completely and store in an airtight container.
Tip:
- Seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be used with the nuts for even more flavour and texture.
Subscribe to Heleen’s website (www.heleenmeyer.co.za) for more recipes like this.
Image by Adel Ferreira