Snacking is the single most dangerous word for those concerned with eating healthy and staying healthy. It has the capacity to derail carefully crafted diet charts, play havoc with calorie counters and sabotage the waist-trimming exercise regimen. But, long workdays and killer schedules seem to attract junk food like a flame attracts moths. So, what can be done? A lot, actually.
The first rule of war; analyze the enemy. What is it that you are up against and how much effort will you put into it? Delhi based dietician and Nutritionist, Dr. Ratna Dubey gives out a few tips that’ll keep you away from tempting snacks and resort to healthy eating!
Sandwiches
One of the most ubiquitous snacks that we see these days is the samosa. Bread pakoras and various other fritters too fall in this category. A normal sized samosa can pack in almost 500 calories which make it a whole meal. So, if you’re not looking to replace lunch with one samosa, don’t reach for that oily potato snack. Try sandwiches instead. Put in some tomatoes and other veggies, and you have yourself a healthy snack.
Homemade Snacks
Another potato culprit is the packet of potato chips. Packaged in various forms, the essential fried potato office snack staple is something that can be seen in almost every office snack drawer. Before you tear open the pack that loudly advertises that it has ‘x percent fewer calories’, pause a moment to consider ‘less than what?’ Read the small print and find out exactly how many calories that packet actually has. Maybe that will make you reach out for a couple of healthy bananas and a glass of fresh fruit juice. The best option is to carry healthy homemade food!
Natural drinks
Do you, like so many others, need a soft drink or at least an iced tea to wash down the meal? Beware. Every glass of soda you gulp down adds up at your waist. The sugar, the cola, the carbon dioxide - believe us, you don't want all that on your conscience! Replacements? Coconut water, lime juice with honey instead of sugar, and oh, did we forget to mention...water?
Dried fruits
If you are addicted to candy, a great alternative to it could be dried fruits. If you are looking at the nutritional content, candy is as bad as it can get. Candy is refined sugar wrapped in attractive colours. It provides you with nothing except empty calories. If you have been fighting hard to keep your candy cravings to their minimum, you should try and switch to dried fruit alternatives such as apricots, figs or dates. While these dried fruits are still sugary and sweet, they are packed with nutrition, lots of fiber and important minerals.
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