Nutrition

Eating healthy snacks to tide you over between your three main meals is good for you. A Mediclinic expert explains why and suggests some creative snack ideas for weight loss.

Manage your weight and boost your energy with healthy snacks

If you want to lose weight, you may think that snacking in between meals is not what you should be doing. However, experts say eating healthy, weight-conscious snacks throughout the day can help you to manage your weight.

“Eating snacks in between your three main meals of the day gives you more energy to fulfil your tasks and get through to lunch or supper,” says Magda de Mooij, a dietitian at Mediclinic Upington. “If you eat breakfast at 7am, and then go for a long period without food, by 3pm you’ll be feeling extremely tired. You need snacks to fill those gaps so you can work better.”

But sticking to healthy snacks doesn’t mean you can skip your main meals. “It’s not good for your metabolism to skip meals,” warns De Mooij. “The purpose of those snacks is to keep your metabolism going between meals. Sometimes you’re so busy that lunch may only happen at 3pm instead of 1pm. At those times, healthy pre-made snacks can keep you going with minimal mess or fuss.”

Plan your snacks

Preparing nutritious snacks ahead of time and packing and taking them to work is good for your health and your pocket. De Mooij says a common mistake is not planning your snacks and meals. People who say they’re too busy to eat lunch or plan snacks are ravenous by the time they get home from work and will devour whatever they can find in the fridge. By supper time, portion control goes out the window because they’re so hungry.

“Eating without thinking or actually realising you are hungry or full contributes to excess weight gain because you’re not aware when you’ve had enough and may overeat,” says De Mooij. “So having had a snack earlier means you’re more likely to maintain portion control during your main meals.”

When you don’t have time to sit down for a meal, having a snack also helps you last until you do. But it does take a little time to plan, either the evening before work or early in the morning. “When you do your weekly shop, take snacks into account. This will also help you stay within your budget. If you don’t take snacks to work, you’ll become hungry and probably grab a chocolate from a vending machine or the nearest shop. This will only sustain you for about 15 minutes and then you’ll feel tired again because your blood glucose level has spiked and then crashed, without the benefit of prolonged energy.”

Dietitian-approved snacks for weight management

Preferably, snacks should be free from added sugars, salts and fats and be unprocessed. “Healthy snacks must be easy and quick to eat at work,” says De Mooij. “Whether at your desk or in the car, you want no mess and no fuss.”

  • Fresh fruit. Whatever your preference and budget, fruit is first choice, best eaten in combination with a protein and a fat. This helps keep you fuller for longer and prevents cravings. Dried fruit with added sugar, such as fruit flakes, is best avoided. When eating other dried fruit, watch your portions – dehydration reduces the fruit in size but eating six dried pears is basically three whole pears, while 20 raisins is 20 grapes. “Portions with fruit remain the same whether fresh or dried,” explains De Mooij.
  • Nuts are also a great snack as they’re packed with healthy fats, can be combined with fruit, and are easy to eat on the go. They’re healthy in moderation but portion control is important as they contain a lot of energy. Ideally eat nuts raw or dry roasted, rather than roasted in oil and salted.
  • Biltong and droëwors or pieces of cheese are also protein-rich snacking options that should be eaten in small amounts due to the added salt and fat. “When you skip meals or snacks, you often skip the protein, and you need enough protein in your diet. When you don’t eat enough protein, you crave sugary food and drink,” says De Mooij.
  • Other nutritious snacks to curb cravings are small yoghurts, which can be consumed quickly and are appropriately portioned, and a few wholewheat or seeded high-fibre crackers with peanut butter or cottage cheese.

Stay within your limits

While it’s important to choose healthy options, do remember that the calorie content of the snacks adds up. “A cracker, a piece of cheese, and some biltong, fruit and nuts can add up to one meal in one sitting! So, it’s important to spread out snacking throughout the morning and afternoon while remaining aware of how much you’re eating,” advises De Mooij.

Over weekends, try to remain mindful of your eating habits and maintain a routine of sticking to your main meals.