Should You be Snacking?

How you choose to snack can delay or speed up your progress

November 2020

By Alex White, Dr. Nick Beard and Dr. Robert Ostfeld

Why does snacking matter?

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We all get hungry between meals sometimes and most of us seek out foods with added salt or sugar when we do. That leaves us with two bad options. We can be ‘strong’ and feel miserable all day. Or we can give in, feel good for a bit, and then feel miserable later. But there is a better way. We can change the question from ‘can I eat now?’ to ‘what can I eat now?’

Getting Started

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Fresh fruit

Eating fruit relaxes your blood vessels and helps bring your blood pressure down. It’s also full of fiber and water which gives them bulk and fills you up with far fewer calories than most other snacks. In+ addition to lower blood pressure, fruit has also been linked to both lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. If you don’t like fruit, try it for a week or two while cutting back on other sugary foods. You may be surprised how much sweeter fruit tastes within just a few days.

​Hummus

It is no accident this dip is so well loved all over the world. It is packed with protein, fiber and minerals giving it proven anti-inflammatory qualities. But it is also delicious, filling and super convenient. Try it on whole-wheat pita bread or a rice cake for a healthy snack that is ready in seconds.

Edamame

Edamame are basically soybeans in their natural state. They’ve been shown to help lower your blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels. You can buy them frozen and microwave or heat them in minutes. Try to avoid the salted kinds though. If you find them bland, try adding some black pepper instead to liven them up.

Vegetables

If you feel adventurous, try a mid-morning snack of carrots or celery with nut butter or hummus. You may be surprised how filling they can be.

Nuts

It’s not clear how nuts impact blood pressure directly – but eating them has been linked to a longer lifespan, a lower risk of stroke and even a lower risk of cancer. So we recommend adding nuts, especially walnuts, to your shopping list – providing you go for unsalted or unsweetened varieties. Just be careful not to overdo it. A good amount to eat is about a small handful of nuts – or 2 tablespoons of nut butter – five times a week.

Dark Chocolate

Some studies suggest dark chocolate may help reduce blood pressure. Unfortunately, this lowering only applies to dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. Plus, eating more than two small squares a day will likely cancel out any benefits. Still, if you like dark chocolate and want this occasional treat, you may want to make a habit of eating a square or two with some fresh fruit or with a cup of tea. Be warned though, if you find it hard to stop at just two squares, you may be better off.

Common mistakes

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Energy bars

Food companies put a lot of time, money and creativity into convincing us that their latest energy or protein bar is good for us. Don’t be fooled. Despite the claims of ‘all natural’ or ‘healthy’ on the wrapper, there’s often little nutritional value in most of these bars.

Veggie chips

Walk into most supermarkets and you’ll find snacks made from lentils, beets, peas and plenty other items that were healthful before they were significantly processed. Hence, there is often little good left in these products and a whole lot of bad added in. Steer clear if you can.

Dried fruit

Most dried fruit keeps at least some of its original fiber and other nutrients. The problem is drying fruit removes its bulk and makes it super calorie dense. For example, a medium sized banana weighs about four and a half ounces and has around 110 calories – but the same weight of banana chips has a belt-busting 650 calories. So, if you’re looking to eat more fruit that’s great – but eating dried fruit may not be the way to start.

Grazing and timed snacks

There’s little evidence to support the idea that eating little and often or ‘grazing’ is particularly good for you. In fact, it can make it harder to snack well because the more times you eat the more likely you are to make bad decisions about what you are eating. Timed snacking can also create problems. If you say you’re going to snack at 11 am you probably will – even if you’re not really that hungry. It’s better to wait until you really feel hungry to tuck in.

Late snacks

Late night eating is linked to weight gain and poor sleep. That said, eating small, nutrient rich meals likely doesn’t do any harm and may even have some benefits (especially if you’re exercising heavily). So if you can’t stop yourself snacking after dinner try to eat something light and nutritious like fruit. Or just have a cup of herbal tea instead.

Useful Resources

Delivery services like Amazon and Instacart are a convenient way to get fresh plant-based foods if you’re too pressed for time to do a weekly shop. If the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t already get you into the habit of using these online resources maybe this is the time to start.

Better still, if you have access to farmers’ markets or good street vendors, many of them offer fruit and vegetables at much better prices than grocery stores. You’ll also be doing your bit to support your local farms and community.

Alex White and Dr. Nick Beard Co-Founded Brightplate.

Dr. Ostfeld is the Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Health System and a Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has an MD. form Yale University School of Medicine and an MSc. from Harvard School of Public Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.