Diet & Fitness Blog

By Sheila Buff
eDiets Contributor

Snacking can be your secret weapon for weight control, as long as you replace those high-carb, low-nutrition snacks with the right healthy snacks.

Most snack foods are high in calories, full of empty carbs and practically devoid of nutrition. Americans love them so much that today they get about 25 percent of their daily calories from junk food such as potato chips. On Super Bowl Sunday alone, according to the Snack Food Association, Americans consumed more than 12 million pounds of potato chips; they also ate more than 9 million pounds of tortilla chips and some 4 million pounds of popcorn.

Sweet snacks are just as popular, with Americans eating billions of pounds of chocolate annually. And the Snack Food Association says snacking has increased by more than a third since 1988; the snack food industry itself is a billion-dollar industry. Is it any wonder that well over half of all American adults are now overweight and childhood obesity affects nearly a third of all kids?

Such snack foods are basically nothing but empty carbohydrates of the worst kind. They're made from inexpensive, highly refined ingredients such as bleached white flour, corn meal, corn syrup and sugar. Even worse, they usually contain partially hydrogenated oil (also known as trans fat), a dangerous substance that is a major culprit in clogged arteries.

All those snack foods are so heavily advertised and sold virtually everywhere that resisting them can be very difficult.

Here are some healthy snacks strategies for fighting back:

--Know your enemy. If you're aware of how bad these foods are for you, you're better able to resist them. "Bad" carbs are full of dangerous trans fats, artificial flavorings and preservatives. Read the food label -- it's enough to make you never touch the stuff.

--Purge your pantry. If junk foods aren't there, you can't eat them. Your kids might complain, but junk food is no better for them than it is for you -- and if you set the example, they'll find it easier to follow.

--Avoid certain aisles. Most of the snack foods are concentrated in the central aisles. Also stay away from the food displays at the checkout by choosing the "no snack" counter if there is one.

Making Better Choices
Giving up high-carb snack foods is not the same thing as never eating between meals. In fact, healthy snacks can help you avoid getting so hungry you pig out at your next meal.

There's no shortage of enjoyable and convenient low-carb choices. String cheese sticks or single-portion cheese rounds are healthy snacks that are handy and delicious. For a convenient and satisfying hot snack, try low-carb instant soups. Jerky strips and other meat snacks are good choices, but read the labels carefully to avoid added carbs (some brands contain added sugars).

If crunch is what you crave, try crispbreads, low-carb soy chips or celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese or natural peanut butter. And for crunch, flavor and good health, a handful of nuts is an outstanding option.

To satisfy a sweet tooth, go for berries and whipped cream, or grapefruit, kiwis, cherries, apples and melons, preferably with some nuts or cheese. For a fun, healthy snack on a hot day, enjoy ice pops made with homemade lemonade sweetened with sucralose (Splenda brand).

Check out the eDiets store for some super savings on some delicious healthy snacks choices!

Like this post? We think you'd also enjoy:
-- Healthy Lunch: Your Best Bets
-- Healthy Meals for One (recipe included)
-- How to Organize and Get Healthy

Sheila Buff is a health writer and the coauthor of Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet (St. Martin's, 2000).

Labels: diet, food, healthy snacks