Snacking on the wrong ingredients will add extra calories and make you feel much more hungry as mealtime arrives. Eating snacks with poor nutritional content would not make you wiser or stronger. The trick is to choose nutritious and healthy snacks that will satisfy your hunger and nourish you without consuming excessive calories.
Snacks and Weight Loss
Chips, soft drinks, sweets, candy bars, pizza, burgers and fries, and ice cream are among the most common teen snacks. Both of these high-calorie snacks, though, may contribute to weight gain. What occurs if a teen notices that they've gained weight? Many people avoid snacking and continue to "fast" for several hours at a time.
The dilemma is that going five to six hours without feeding sets you up for overeating. According to several nutritionists, we can consume smaller meals every three to four hours (instead of three large meals per day). This can aid in the maintenance of your body's blood sugar levels. Maintaining a constant flow of glucose to the brain lets you avoid mood fluctuations and irritability. It further reduces the likelihood of bingeing.
Snacking: Good News and Bad News
The positive news is that giving up deprivation is the most effective way to keep a healthy weight (as well as becoming wiser and stronger). Allow yourself to indulge in a nutritious snack in between meals. Snacking in between meals keeps the body from running short of food. And common sense teaches you that making smart dinner decisions is difficult when your stomach is growling.
The bad news is that if you make incorrect snack decisions or consume too many calories, you would more likely add weight. You're more inclined to overeat and lose out on essential foods if the snack preferences are dictated by how you're feeling at the time or the less-than-nutritious options in the vending machine.
That is why it is beneficial to schedule ahead. Check out the Smart Snack Suggestions (below) or come up with your own nutritious snacks. Then tape this collection to the inside of your refrigerator cover. Ensure that you or your parents purchase these foods from the supermarket so that you have a variety of options each afternoon.
And when you prefer nutritious foods, portion control may be difficult. This is particularly true when you come home from school and are eager to eat something that isn't going!
Measure one serving of your snack the night before and place it in a zipper plastic sandwich bag to keep servings under check. When you get home, your pre-measured, frozen snack will be waiting.
Put 1 cup of your preferred whole-grain cereal in the plastic bag and set it out on the kitchen table, for example. Pour the cereal into a cup and top with fruit and low-fat milk when you get home. Alternatively, stuff the lunch bag with five whole-grain crackers. Grab a string cheese from the freezer and enjoy your breakfast the next day.
If you're keeping late for sports or events, you should still bring your lunch bag to classes. It's easier to decide what you're consuming (trail mix, cheese and crackers, or almonds and dried cranberries) than to consume fast food or vending machine snacks on the spur of the moment.
What Are the Healthiest Foods?
Complex carbs, low-fat dairy, and low-fat protein are the perfect snacks:
Carbohydrates that are complex. Fruits, tomatoes, whole grains, beans and legumes, hummus, and edamame are also good options ( steamed Japanese soybeans).
Dairy goods that are low in fat. Low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are also good options.
Protein that is low in calories. Lean chicken, turkey, or tuna are both good options.
What Foods Can I Avoid?
Avoid processed carbs, high-sugar ingredients, and white flour. White potatoes (or chips), cookies, candy, sugary beverages, and pastries can also be avoided. These foods can induce a sudden rise in blood sugar, which can lead to a hunger attack as it drops.
Avoid high-priced "fuel bars" as well. Most protein bars, energy bars, and sports bars are really candy bars disguised as protein bars (with a few vitamins added). The majority of power bars are also rich in calories.
Suggestions for Healthy Snacks
The snacks mentioned below will help you fill up and keep you going before your next meal. Many of them can be prepared ahead of time the night before:
- Apple slices slathered in peanut butter and topped with raisins
- Half a banana, cut in half and thinly spread with peanut butter.
- Bean burger with lettuce and tomato on a whole-grain sandwich.
- Burrito of beans.
- On whole-grain crackers, serve black bean dip.
- Toasted cheese (whole grain bread with low-fat cheese).
- Vegetables cut up in a low-fat ranch sauce.
- Steamed Japanese Soybeans Edamame
- On a whole-wheat pita, hummus.
- Low-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of walnuts, chopped
- Strawberry oatmeal made with low-fat milk.
- On whole-grain bread, make a peanut butter and banana sandwich. (Use half of a banana and thinly scatter the peanut butter.)
- Butter-free popcorn (sprinkle with Parmesan cheese).
- String cheese and red grapes
- Rice cakes with a soft peanut butter spread (spread lightly).
- Almonds and dried cranberries or blueberries as a side dish.
- Veggie pie or a slice of cheese pizza
- Low-fat cream cheese on a small bagel.
- String cheese and soy nuts
- Smoothie made of soymilk
- Whole-grain crackers and string cheese
- Mixture for hiking (measure one serving).
- On whole-grain pasta, a tuna sandwich.
- On whole grain pasta, a turkey and low-fat cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
- Soup of vegetables and whole-grain crackers.
- Cereal made from whole grains and low-fat milk.
- A whole-grain English muffin with a soft peanut butter spread.
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