This article is adapted from [CCTV News client];

Whether it is leisure or busy work, many friends like to eat snacks to pass the time or relieve anxiety.

Snacks have become an integral part of many People's Daily lives. Many people think that snacks are junk food, and too much intake can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease and other problems. In fact, you may not know enough about snacks. Choosing the right type of food, controlling your intake and eating at the right time will not only pose no health risks to your body, but may also be beneficial.

Snacks ≠ junk food

Coarse grains, vegetables can be snacks

When it comes to snacks, many people will think of potato chips, cola, prunes and other deeply processed packaged foods. However, many people may have misunderstandings about the definition and cognition of snacks.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, snacks refer to food or drinks eaten during non-meals, any food contains a certain amount of energy and nutrients, and can be used as a nutritional supplement in addition to three meals a day when physical activity increases or the intake of the previous meal is insufficient.

In other words, snacks are foods eaten outside of three meals a day, and are related to time, and have nothing to do with type.

Snacks range from fruits, raw vegetables and nuts to biscuits, sweets and even rice and steamed buns. During the period from 2000 to 2018, the proportion of adult snack consumption in China increased significantly, from 10.4% to 52.1%.

However, the choice of snacks and the way we eat them are directly related to our health. Improper snack choices and eating habits may lead to health problems such as unbalanced nutrition, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, how to eat snacks is good for health, is the knowledge we need to understand.

Snack healthily

Choose the right time and the right kind

1. What to eat?

In 2018, a study titled "Global Snack Recommendations: a Scope Review" was published in the journal Advances in Nutrition. In a search of 207 countries and organizations, the study found that 49 countries and seven regional or global organizations mentioned snacking, snack foods, or eating snacks.

Although the snack recommendations of different countries have different priorities, there are some differences, but in general, when choosing snacks, it is recommended to fresh and whole foods, and try to avoid foods high in sugar, salt and fat.

When choosing snacks, it is best to choose items that are different from the meals, such as fruit, nuts, and milk. This can play a complementary role in nutrition.

2. How much to eat?

Excessive snacking can lead to excess energy intake, which can lead to weight gain. If you eat more, it may also interfere with getting nutrients and a richer variety of foods at meals.

The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that snack intake not exceed 15 percent of the day's energy.

What is this concept? For example, a woman who sits in an office needs 1800Kcal of calories a day, of which no more than 270kcal of snacks. That's the equivalent of two 250mL cartons of whole milk or two daily bags of nuts. Even less if you have a craving for heavily processed packaged foods. For a 15 percent calorie snack, it might be an ice cream with a chocolate sandwich or a bag of latio.

In this way, the amount of snacks is not large, so even if you eat snacks, you have to keep your mouth shut. The amount of snacks should not affect the main meal, let alone replace the main meal.

3. When to eat?

Snack at different times, the effect is not the same.

Eating before meals: it can increase satiety and reduce the intake of meals; Eating after meals: It may cause blood sugar to rise, which is not good for your health. Therefore, if you want to snack, eat snacks at least 1-2 hours after a meal. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese residents recommend snacking appropriately between meals.

Some studies have given more detailed advice on when and what kind of snacks to eat.

Eat high-fiber snacks between meals in the afternoon to help control blood sugar

In a study from Waseda University in Japan, healthy elderly people with an average age of 77 were cross-tested, with some eating regular biscuits and others eating high-fiber biscuits between lunch and dinner for a week. The comparison found that eating a high-fiber snack between lunch and dinner resulted in lower postprandial blood sugar response levels after dinner and after breakfast the next day.

However, it should be noted that the experimental data of this study is not much, so the conclusion that "eating high-fiber snacks between meals in the afternoon is conducive to blood sugar control" needs to be further demonstrated.

Don't snack after 9 p.m

A study published in Cell Metabolism in 2022 looked at the snacking habits of more than 1,000 people to determine how snacking affects health and whether the quality, quantity, frequency, or timing of snacking makes a difference.

Studies have found that eating after 9 p.m. increases hunger during the day, reduces energy expenditure during the day, and ultimately increases the risk of obesity. In addition, those who snacked later in the evening had lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels than those who snacked during the day.

How to choose healthy snacks?

Please accept this red and black list

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, in its Adult Health Tips, highlighted the importance of snacks for health and urged the public to carry healthy snacks with them. Which snacks should be eaten to have a positive effect on health?

The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends: choose foods with high nutrient density, such as eggs, milk, soy products, etc., but also choose fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts; Choose less fried or puffed foods.

Most recommended: Low sugar, low sodium, less processed whole foods

Whether at home, at work, or on the go, healthy snacks can help fight hunger and prevent overeating. It is recommended to choose snacks that are low in sugar, salt and fat, preferably whole foods such as baby carrots, fresh fruit or unsweetened plain yogurt, rather than packaged or processed foods such as potato chips, cakes or cookies.

Here are the recommended healthy snacks for reference when choosing.

Eat less: foods high in sugar, salt, and fat (saturated and trans)

Long-term consumption of foods, whether high in sugar, salt or fat (especially saturated and trans fatty acids), increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The snacks that need to be limited are sorted out here, and it is recommended not to eat or eat less at ordinary times.

Be wary: this supposedly healthy food - fruit juice

Stop using juice as a substitute for fruit.

Fruit juice is high in sugar, and consuming too much of it not only leads to weight gain and cardiometabolic risk, but also increases the risk of cancer (especially breast cancer). According to a research paper published in the international top medical journal BMJ in 2019, drinking 100ml of sugar-sweetened beverages (including fruit juice) per day increases the risk of cancer by 18%, including a 23% increase in the risk of breast cancer.

(Manuscript source: China Science Popularization)