Many people grew up with the “don’t eat between meals” message, so snacking often has a negative connotation because many people associate eating between meals with weight gain.
Snacking between meals has been shown to have some positive health benefits, according to several studies. Researchers studied the relationship between snacking and obesity among adolescents. According to their results, teenagers who snacked were more likely to be at a healthy weight and less likely to have abdominal obesity compared with teens who did not snack regularly.
Even sweet treats may not affect our weight if we compensate for the calories in our other meals. In another study, researchers provided 66 healthy, lean men with a chocolate bar six days a week for six months. Despite an expected weight gain of about 10 pounds, the men did not gain weight. Instead, they adjusted their caloric intake from other foods and stayed at a healthy weight.
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Eating throughout the day may come naturally to us. Some researchers liken our tendency to “graze” to the hunter-gatherer days of our distant ancestors. Eating smaller, more frequent meals is a good idea for many people. For children and those with smaller appetites, eating enough to meet their nutritional needs at three regular meals may be a challenge. Many older adults have decreased appetites, so well-chosen snacks can help them meet their daily nutritional needs.
Spreading our food intake throughout the day also helps us maintain energy, helps maintain consistent blood sugar levels and, in the long run, is associated with lower cholesterol levels, especially LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
How about some whole-grain crackers, lower-fat cheese, crunchy apple slices or carrot sticks to maintain your energy? Curbing your appetite with healthful options can help prevent overindulging on cookies and candy when a tempting dessert buffet table presents itself.
