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Eat Less Snack Food

Just The Facts
Snacking Impacts Health
Healthier Alternatives
Helpful Links For Parents

Just The Facts

According to the American Dietetic Association:
One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories.

According to Mc Donald’s:
A Super Sized Big Mac Meal with Coke has 1620 calories.

According to the American Pediatrics Association:
Each 12-oz sugared soft drink consumed daily has been associated with a 0.18-point increase in a child’s BMI and a 60% increase in risk of obesity, associations not found with "diet" (sugar-free) soft drinks

Between 56% and 85% of children in school consume at least 1 soft drink daily, with the highest amounts ingested by adolescent males.

According to the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis:
Americans are getting nearly one-third of their calories from junk foods: soft drinks, sweets, desserts, alcoholic beverages, and salty snacks.

The same study shows that the average American gets over seven percent of their calories from soft drinks alone -- a situation that most certainly accelerates both obesity and diabetes.

Snacking Impacts Health

From the grocery store checkout isle to the sweet-faced child selling candy for a fundraiser – we are being bombarded from every angle to buy pre-packaged salty, sugary and (above all) high calorie snacks.

The average American consumes 2-3 pounds of sugar each week. This comes from highly refined sugars like sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are processed into foods like bread, cereals, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and many prepackaged meals. Over the past 20 years, U.S. consumption of sugar has grown from 26 pounds to 135 lbs. of sugar per person per year.

Ever wondered why sugary or fatty snacks and other high-calorie foods can be so hard to give up? A lot of it has to do with the body's blood sugar metabolism. Mind and Body Magazine has helped to translate the process:

The blood sugar roller coaster

The body changes the food we eat is changed into glucose. Glucose is a blood sugar that the body's cells use for energy. Within a healthy balanced diet, blood sugar levels go up and down gently as we digest food.

This rise and fall of the blood sugar level is moderated by insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin does this by allowing glucose in the blood to pass into the body's cells where it can be used for energy.

Normal regulation after healthy eating

The problem occurs when people consume food that is too high in quick calories, elevating their blood sugar levels particularly rapidly. Some people associate this with what is commonly referred to as an ‘energy high’. Of course, what goes up must come down, and an 'energy slump' usually follows. This slump is often the result of the body overcompensating with insulin to push down blood sugar levels.

It is during this blood sugar slump, that people often experience cravings for high calorie foods like potato chips and chocolate bars, as the body requires a quick fix of glucose to restore blood sugar levels to normal. Of course, a high-calorie treat may again raise the body's blood sugar levels to a high level. And so, the phenomenon known as the "blood sugar roller coaster" begins, causing calorie-rich snacks to become a habit. Now imagine that these processed sugars are not just in your favourite junk food – they are ‘hidden’ in most processed foods as well.

How to get off the roller coaster

So how can you reduce these highs and lows, and get off the blood sugar roller coaster? The obvious answer is to reduce the amount of junk food eaten, particularly chocolate - not just for its high sugar content, but also because it contains caffeine. This may need to be done gradually, as it can take a great deal of will power to resist a junk food craving. It also helps to try to make junk food less available to you. If there is a snack jar at work, it may pay to fill it with a healthy alternative like plain nuts or dried fruit.

Junk food is often a treat for our taste buds, and should be treated just that way. If you find that these foods are starting to become an irresistible habit, you may be experiencing the blood sugar roller coaster ride.

Healthier Alternatives

Small, healthy meals and snacks are a terrific way to satisfy that nagging hunger and energy gaps. But you need to pay attention to what you eat. Stuffing your face with a large order of fries after class may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only slow you down in the long run.

Who should snack?

• Everyone can benefit from eating snacks. Everyone Snacks can help to boost your energy and fuel your body in between meals. A person can use up the body’s blood sugars in 4 to 6 hours – and you need food to replace them.
• Growing children with tiny appetites may not be able to fulfill their energy needs with only three meals a day. Snacks can provide what may be missing from their meals.
• Athletes of all ages have increased energy demands. They especially need energy in the form of carbohydrates, which help power exercising muscles. Snacks such as sandwiches, bread, buns, fruit and raw vegetable can help give athletes the additional energy they need.
• Teenagers are well known for their snack attacks and for good reason. They also have high energy and nutrient needs to support their growing bodies. Carefully chosen snacks can help fuel their growth.
• Carrying a baby places additional nutrient and energy demands on the mother. Selective snacking can help pregnant women meet their extra nutrition needs. Small, frequent snacks can be especially helpful for women who have morning sickness or who always feel full.
• Older adults who can eat only small portions of food at a time may find it easier to maintain their health by eating snacks to supplement their meals.
  

How to handle the Fast Food Moments

But, there are times in our busy lives when stopping for a quick meal is unavoidable. When you do eat at a fast-food restaurant try to:

• Choose lower-fat, smaller versions of the products to stay within recommendations for fat and energy.
• Skip the high-fat sauces and mayonnaise in order to keep down on fat and cholesterol.
• Substitute a small salad for fried potatoes - if you top it with non-fat or reduced-fat salad dressing, you can reduce fat and calories and increase beta carotene and vitamin C, important antioxidants for fighting infection and the risk for cancer.

Tips for Snacking

Eating snacks can be part of a nutritious diet. A nutritious snack can provide needed energy and help bridge the gap between meals. Snacks may help lessen your hunger pangs and avoid a feast or famine mentality. The key to good snacking is to plan ahead and make sure to pay attention to portion size.

The best way to plan for snacking is to include nutritious snack items on your grocery list. Investing a few minutes of your time while shopping will pay dividends later. Think about smart snack options that are portable and fit your taste.

Snacks can offer nutritional advantages, but they also can become liabilities, depending on the types and quantities of food they contain. Mindless nibbling can lead to trouble in the form of unwanted calories. Some snacks--such as chips, chocolate, and shakes--can add a fat burden to the diet. And high-fat diets are clearly linked with such chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

• To avoid gaining weight from snacking, keep your food portions small and try to space your meals and snacks three to four hours apart.
• A snack should be limited to 100 to 200 calories. The best method for keeping snacks small is to watch food labels or find snacks with built-in portion control. Small snacks can help manage your appetite without adding unplanned calories to your day.
• Plan ahead so that you have the desired food at hand when you need it.
• Set aside a "snack spot" in the refrigerator and cupboard; keep it stocked with nutritious ready-to-eat snacks.

Try these healthy and filling snacks:

• Fresh fruit or a handful of dried fruit
• Raw vegetables carrots, celery, red and green pepper cut and portioned in small plastic bags (try filling celery with peanut butter or low-fat cottage cheese, or dipping your vegetables in low-fat dressing)
• A slice of angel food cake with non-fat whipped topping
• Non-fat, whole-grain crackers (could top with cheese or peanut butter)
• Non-fat cottage cheese or yogurt with fresh, frozen or canned fruit.
• Bread sticks or bite-size bagels
• A handful of nuts
• A smoothie (blend nonfat milk and/or yogurt with fruit)
• Low-fat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana, or bran.
• Unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, preferably with pulp for extra-added fiber.
• Make a mini pizza, using half a French roll or English muffin as the base, with spaghetti sauce and low-fat shredded cheddar cheese as a filling.

Instead of …    Try...

Potato chips...   Pretzels

Ice cream...       Low fat frozen yogurt

Milkshake...      Fruit smoothie

Ice cream bar... Frozen juice bar

Butter cookie...  Lowfat cookie

Pound cake...    Angel Food Cake

Fatty Dips...      Salsa

Helpful Links For Parents

There is a great deal of information available for parents to help improve their children’s eating habits. Steps to a Healthier New Orleans has identified a few major resources to help get parents started.

American Diabetes Association - Parents Link 
The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of communities.

Food and Nutrition Information Center
The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has been a leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971. FNIC's web site provides a directory to credible, accurate, and practical resources for consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators and government personnel. Visitors can find printable format educational materials, government reports, research papers and more. FNIC nutrition information specialists review all site content to ensure top quality resources. 

American Academy of Pediatrics 
The official Web site of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) serves an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

Dole 5 a Day - For families