Healthier snacking?
Discussion
I've had a bit of a lightbulb moment ("you're a fat c
t, eat better, drink less, stop smoking, exercise more") and need to sort my life out 
Biggest stumbling block as far as my diet goes is snacking though - quite bad for nibbling on crisps/nuts/etc whilst doing uni work (got a lot of that to do at the moment for exams next week) - anyone able to suggest healthier alternatives?
EVERYTHING seems to be jammed full of fat and sugar.
t, eat better, drink less, stop smoking, exercise more") and need to sort my life out Biggest stumbling block as far as my diet goes is snacking though - quite bad for nibbling on crisps/nuts/etc whilst doing uni work (got a lot of that to do at the moment for exams next week) - anyone able to suggest healthier alternatives?
EVERYTHING seems to be jammed full of fat and sugar.
Edited by Kiltox on Wednesday 3rd August 18:15
Ah yes, cheap too! Especially if you don't mind putting the effort in. I grab a bag of carrots every few days, peel the top layer, cut them up, and stick them in pots of 300g (100 calories). Then each time I want a snack, I grab a pot. I rarely need more than one pot. don't buy batons unless you're in a bind or feeling really lazy. They just don't taste as good. Nowhere near.
Similar for dinners, but cut differently.
Similar for dinners, but cut differently.
Kiltox said:
Just googled that - looks pretty cool, had never heard of it before.
Don't do it! Very expensive way to snack. Yes, handy but you get far more if you go to the supermarket and stock up on nuts then divvy them up into portions. Even better, head to costco.
Carrots and bananas are great for snacking on, fill you up too.
RemainAllHoof said:
Snack A Jacks (flavoured rice cakes) are good (same for the shop's own variety). Like eating crisps but not so bad. The Go Ahead range is pretty good, too.
The trouble with the likes of Snack a Jacks etc is they're very moreish. Also, the salt and to a lesser extent sugar content is really quite high!For me also, compared to carrots for example, they'll be nowhere near as filling. 100 calories in a bag, for not much filling.
That said, different things work for different people, and different people like different things.
Pulse said:
The trouble with the likes of Snack a Jacks etc is they're very moreish. Also, the salt and to a lesser extent sugar content is really quite high!
For me also, compared to carrots for example, they'll be nowhere near as filling. 100 calories in a bag, for not much filling.
That said, different things work for different people, and different people like different things.
Sure - the problem is that fruit just isn't filling. I can eat loads of carrots and so on and still fit in crisps etc. For me also, compared to carrots for example, they'll be nowhere near as filling. 100 calories in a bag, for not much filling.
That said, different things work for different people, and different people like different things.
I am contemplating experimenting with eating couscous as a snack as that can seem quite filling.
It's filling because it actually has a lot of calories I think. Well, for the amount I'd need to eat, anyway.
Fruit I find doesn't fill me up, and I'm not keen on the sugar on my teeth, so rarely eat it now. Apple or banana for me though if I want a sugar fix! Rather that than chocolate, snack a jacks, etc!
Fruit I find doesn't fill me up, and I'm not keen on the sugar on my teeth, so rarely eat it now. Apple or banana for me though if I want a sugar fix! Rather that than chocolate, snack a jacks, etc!
Pulse said:
It's filling because it actually has a lot of calories I think. Well, for the amount I'd need to eat, anyway.
Fruit I find doesn't fill me up, and I'm not keen on the sugar on my teeth, so rarely eat it now. Apple or banana for me though if I want a sugar fix! Rather that than chocolate, snack a jacks, etc!
What is filling? Edit: oh, couscous... I think it's not "calories" but the fact it's quite high in protein and carbs.Fruit I find doesn't fill me up, and I'm not keen on the sugar on my teeth, so rarely eat it now. Apple or banana for me though if I want a sugar fix! Rather that than chocolate, snack a jacks, etc!
Anyway, I went crazily healthy for a 6 month period a while ago but didn't enjoy it and found it wasn't sustainable so went back to eating bad stuff but just replacing some of the bad stuff with good stuff; eg rather than have a cake, I'd eat a cereal bar or rather than crisps, I'd eat a flavoured rice cake or two or some other cracker such as Ryvita. Much easier to maintain than being extremely healthy.
Edited by RemainAllHoof on Thursday 4th August 12:26
Too much of good food is still not a great thing. These still represent unused kcals.
If you want to snack so that you don't snack so much and/or want to snack better, consider;
Fibre has no nutritional value - humans do not produce cellulase so cannot absorb cellulose (fibre). Eat very high fibre foods and you won't take on many kcals from it and it will also aid your digestion. Bonus.
Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so if you want to feel full for longer, eat high protein foods. Protein is obviously good for you too.
Eat "high glycemic carbs" if you must snack on carbs at all. To find out what these foods are, google what is in the quotes. It will produce a big and suprisingly tastey list. High Glyemic carbs give you a steady slow release of blood sugars, which will reduce your need to snack.
All nuts, bar perhaps macadamias, are superb snack food. High is protein and fat (which is slowest to digest of all macro nutrients - carbs, prot, fat) so a small amount will make you feel full for longer. But as nuts are high in fat, and kcals it's too easy to eat too much, it takes a moment for your stomach to tell your brain it has enough to digest, so eat a handful, then do something else - go for a walk, work, grab a drink. But the time you've done that you gastric hormones will have updated your brain and you will be less likely to over eat.
If you want to snack so that you don't snack so much and/or want to snack better, consider;
Fibre has no nutritional value - humans do not produce cellulase so cannot absorb cellulose (fibre). Eat very high fibre foods and you won't take on many kcals from it and it will also aid your digestion. Bonus.
Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so if you want to feel full for longer, eat high protein foods. Protein is obviously good for you too.
Eat "high glycemic carbs" if you must snack on carbs at all. To find out what these foods are, google what is in the quotes. It will produce a big and suprisingly tastey list. High Glyemic carbs give you a steady slow release of blood sugars, which will reduce your need to snack.
All nuts, bar perhaps macadamias, are superb snack food. High is protein and fat (which is slowest to digest of all macro nutrients - carbs, prot, fat) so a small amount will make you feel full for longer. But as nuts are high in fat, and kcals it's too easy to eat too much, it takes a moment for your stomach to tell your brain it has enough to digest, so eat a handful, then do something else - go for a walk, work, grab a drink. But the time you've done that you gastric hormones will have updated your brain and you will be less likely to over eat.
Edited by mattikake on Thursday 4th August 15:03
Yes, to add to that, try drinking more water as it can be hard to determine whether we're hungry or actually thirsty. And to highlight what Matt suggested: eat more slowly. I think one reason why I'm quite lean is that I take so long to eat my food. I'm often the last person to finish when I eat in social occasions - I savour each mouthful, enjoying both texture and taste. Enjoying food isn't about stuffing as much as you can in your mouth - take the time to sample it like a connoisseur enjoying a fine wine, even if it is a pub hamburger and chips.
Edited by RemainAllHoof on Thursday 4th August 12:31
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