Don't Settle for Less Than the Total Package: 12 delicious snacks that do more than just hold you over until mealtime

We all do it. Whether we are working, studying, sad, bored, celebrating, wallowing, killing time or just plain hungry between meals, snacking is something most of us do at least on occasion.

Why not then choose a snack that packs a punch?: One that is not only delicious and satisfying but will also keep you full longer and on fewer calories than the salty, sugary, fatty fare that can be found in your office vending machine or at the corner store. 

A well-rounded snack contains both protein and fiber (check out my earlier blog post, Did you know?: Fiber can help you control your weight - May 24, 2010). This "total package" snack is more likely to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Fiber slows stomach emptying and helps us to feel full longer, which may assist in weight maintenance or weight loss. Protein also promotes a feeling of fullness, promotes the growth and maintenance of lean muscle mass and may help us to feel more energized between meals and snacks. 

A "total package" snack should be no more than about 200-250 calories. High-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories and choosing plant-based proteins or proteins from low-fat dairy can also help control the number of calories in your snack.

Use this definition of a snack to help you make mindful decisions about what to nibble on between meals. Chips, cookies and candies are "treats" and should be limited, whereas a snack can be a regular and beneficial part of a healthy diet. 

Here then are 12 Total Package Snacks to keep you happy, full, strong & energized!

We all do it. Whether we are working, studying, sad, bored, celebrating, wallowing, killing time or just plain hungry between meals, snacking is something most of us do at least on occasion.

Why not then choose a snack that packs a punch?: One that is not only delicious and satisfying but will also keep you full longer and on fewer calories than the salty, sugary, fatty fare that can be found in your office vending machine or at the corner store. 

A well-rounded snack contains both protein and fiber (check out my earlier blog post, Did you know?: Fiber can help you control your weight - May 24, 2010). This "total package" snack is more likely to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Fiber slows stomach emptying and helps us to feel full longer, which may assist in weight maintenance or weight loss. Protein also promotes a feeling of fullness, promotes the growth and maintenance of lean muscle mass and may help us to feel more energized between meals and snacks. 

A "total package" snack should be no more than about 200-250 calories. High-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories and choosing plant-based proteins or proteins from low-fat dairy can also help control the number of calories in your snack.

Use this definition of a snack to help you make mindful decisions about what to nibble on between meals. Chips, cookies and candies are "treats" and should be limited, whereas a snack can be a regular and beneficial part of a healthy diet. 

Here then are 12 Total Package Snacks to keep you happy, full, strong & energized!

Piece O' Cheesecake: 99-calorie Indulgence!

A friend and mentor, Jodi Citrin Greebel, RD of Citrition, LLC, recently introduced me to a shop on Lexington Avenue, between 85th St & 86th St in Manhattan, called Little Brown. As a future Registered Dietitian who also happens to be a self-confessed hot chocolate addict, I was intrigued when I saw on the menu a 99-calorie hot chocolate prepared with 70% dark chocolate and skim milk. I am here to tell you, it's delicious and right up there with all the best decadent hot chocolates in NYC. It's even better because this Little Brown hot chocolate consumed in moderation and by itself passes as a (less than) 100-calorie snack that provides some calcium from the skim milk and some antioxidants from the dark chocolate. Enjoy!

A friend and mentor, Jodi Citrin Greebel, RD of Citrition, LLC, recently introduced me to a shop on Lexington Avenue, between 85th St & 86th St in Manhattan, called Little Brown. As a future Registered Dietitian who also happens to be a self-confessed hot chocolate addict, I was intrigued when I saw on the menu a 99-calorie hot chocolate prepared with 70% dark chocolate and skim milk. I am here to tell you, it's delicious and right up there with all the best decadent hot chocolates in NYC. It's even better because this Little Brown hot chocolate consumed in moderation and by itself passes as a (less than) 100-calorie snack that provides some calcium from the skim milk and some antioxidants from the dark chocolate. Enjoy!

Do One Thing: Lighten up your morning latte

If you enjoy a daily morning coffee run, you don't need to give up that comforting treat in order to get a healthier start to your day. The following are a few tips to keep the calories, fat and sugar intake down when you visit your local coffee shop:

• Choose skim milk - to save on both calories and fat
• Opt for sugar-free syrup - to cut back on calories and sugar
• Hold the whip - also cuts calories and fat
• Remember that the soy milk used in coffee shops is often vanilla flavored, which will add more calories and sugar than the same amount of skim milk
• Best Best: Stick with unsweetened coffee, latte or cappuccino with skim milk; limit yourself to one packet of sugar or Splenda

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you enjoy a daily morning coffee run, you don't need to give up that comforting treat in order to get a healthier start to your day. The following are a few tips to keep the calories, fat and sugar intake down when you visit your local coffee shop:

• Choose skim milk - to save on both calories and fat
• Opt for sugar-free syrup - to cut back on calories and sugar
• Hold the whip - also cuts calories and fat
• Remember that the soy milk used in coffee shops is often vanilla flavored, which will add more calories and sugar than the same amount of skim milk
• Best Best: Stick with unsweetened coffee, latte or cappuccino with skim milk; limit yourself to one packet of sugar or Splenda

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cutting calories through small changes

This page from the American Dietetic Association's website, at www.eatright.org, lists some nice easy tips for cutting calories by making small changes that are easier to stick with over time, as opposed to making a huge lifestyle overhaul all at once. Some of the tips include: lighten your coffee by choosing non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup; choose the smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less; and replace high-calorie beverages with water as often as possible.

American Dietetic Association - "Ways to Shave Calories"

This page from the American Dietetic Association's website, at www.eatright.org, lists some nice easy tips for cutting calories by making small changes that are easier to stick with over time, as opposed to making a huge lifestyle overhaul all at once. Some of the tips include: lighten your coffee by choosing non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup; choose the smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less; and replace high-calorie beverages with water as often as possible.

American Dietetic Association - "Ways to Shave Calories"

The (sweet and) lowdown on sugar

I just recently read a great article on sugar in the January/February 2010 issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter and I’d like to share with you some of the takeaways of that story since I think this is an important topic for everyone but confusing for most. The American Heart Association recently released a report with new recommendations for the intake of added sugars. For women, the recommendation is no more than 100 calories from added sugars, or 6-1/2 teaspoons, per day; this is less than what you’d find in a 6 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt and an 8 fl. oz. reduced-fat chocolate milk, combined. For men, the recommendation is no more than 150 calories per day from added sugar, or 9-1/2 teaspoons; which is less than you’d find in one 12 fl. oz. can of Coke. By comparison, most Americans are consuming far more than the recommended intake, at somewhere in the range of 350-475 calories (about 22-30 teaspoons) per day; in addition, most aren’t aware that added sugars are hiding in far more than just the obvious places. Natural sugars are present in places like fruits & vegetables (naturally occurring fructose) and dairy products (lactose), for example; we don’t need to be worried about these sugars. Added sugars are present in not only cakes & cookies, but also in places like condiments (e.g., ketchup & salad dressing) and bread products; these are the sugars we need to limit. So, what to do?

1) Know that sugar answers to many aliases. Start paying attention to the various names for sugar used on food labels: high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, brown rice syrup, agave, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, glucose, dextrose, honey, maple sugar, molasses, raw sugar, table sugar, confectioner’s sugar, baker’s sugar, powdered sugar.

2) Discriminate equally. Know that ALL sugars need to be equally limited. We’ve all heard the big fuss over high-fructose corn syrup or have read articles warning about one type of sugar over another. The fact is that all added sugars can play a role in potentially increasing your risk for disease (e.g., too much sugar can lead to obesity, which increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes). All added sugars must be viewed as discretionary calories. That is, they are the calories you can have as a bonus after you’ve had your fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein. Remember that even if you eat all those good-for-you items, if you have too much sugar in addition to all that good stuff, it can still make you fat.

3) Start by cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages. According to the Nutrition Action article, “soft drinks are the number-one source of added sugars in Americans’ diets,” so what better way to start than by cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages? Remember that it’s not only soft drinks that are packed with added sugars, but also sports & energy drinks and sugar-sweetened teas. Replace these beverages with plain or sparkling water or the 2-3 cups of skim or 1% milk that you need to meet your calcium requirements.

To read more:

Today’s Dietitian: February 2010, “Sweet Defeat” by Lindsey Getz

Wall Street Journal Online: August 25, 2009, “Sweet Surrender: Sugar Curbs Urged” by Ron Winslow and Shirley S. Wang

I just recently read a great article on sugar in the January/February 2010 issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter and I’d like to share with you some of the takeaways of that story since I think this is an important topic for everyone but confusing for most. The American Heart Association recently released a report with new recommendations for the intake of added sugars. For women, the recommendation is no more than 100 calories from added sugars, or 6-1/2 teaspoons, per day; this is less than what you’d find in a 6 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt and an 8 fl. oz. reduced-fat chocolate milk, combined. For men, the recommendation is no more than 150 calories per day from added sugar, or 9-1/2 teaspoons; which is less than you’d find in one 12 fl. oz. can of Coke. By comparison, most Americans are consuming far more than the recommended intake, at somewhere in the range of 350-475 calories (about 22-30 teaspoons) per day; in addition, most aren’t aware that added sugars are hiding in far more than just the obvious places. Natural sugars are present in places like fruits & vegetables (naturally occurring fructose) and dairy products (lactose), for example; we don’t need to be worried about these sugars. Added sugars are present in not only cakes & cookies, but also in places like condiments (e.g., ketchup & salad dressing) and bread products; these are the sugars we need to limit. So, what to do?

1) Know that sugar answers to many aliases. Start paying attention to the various names for sugar used on food labels: high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, brown rice syrup, agave, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, glucose, dextrose, honey, maple sugar, molasses, raw sugar, table sugar, confectioner’s sugar, baker’s sugar, powdered sugar.

2) Discriminate equally. Know that ALL sugars need to be equally limited. We’ve all heard the big fuss over high-fructose corn syrup or have read articles warning about one type of sugar over another. The fact is that all added sugars can play a role in potentially increasing your risk for disease (e.g., too much sugar can lead to obesity, which increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes). All added sugars must be viewed as discretionary calories. That is, they are the calories you can have as a bonus after you’ve had your fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein. Remember that even if you eat all those good-for-you items, if you have too much sugar in addition to all that good stuff, it can still make you fat.

3) Start by cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages. According to the Nutrition Action article, “soft drinks are the number-one source of added sugars in Americans’ diets,” so what better way to start than by cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages? Remember that it’s not only soft drinks that are packed with added sugars, but also sports & energy drinks and sugar-sweetened teas. Replace these beverages with plain or sparkling water or the 2-3 cups of skim or 1% milk that you need to meet your calcium requirements.

To read more:

Today’s Dietitian: February 2010, “Sweet Defeat” by Lindsey Getz

Wall Street Journal Online: August 25, 2009, “Sweet Surrender: Sugar Curbs Urged” by Ron Winslow and Shirley S. Wang

Cut calories by eating more slowly

Last week’s New York Times Science Times section featured a short piece by Anahad O'Connor, that discussed a recent study which found evidence that eating more slowly may result in eating fewer calories, as slow eaters seem to release more of the hormones that make you feel full. Just taking the time to eat more slowly and savor every bite may be one small easy step you can take to live healthier and avoid overeating! You may find it helps to use the smaller salad forks & teaspoons, versus the larger dinner forks & spoons, or to sit down and engage in conversation with your family/friends/roommates over dinner (an easy, healthy habit in and of itself!).

Click here to read the full New York Times article from February 22, 2010, The Claim: To Cut Calories, Eat Slowly

Last week’s New York Times Science Times section featured a short piece by Anahad O'Connor, that discussed a recent study which found evidence that eating more slowly may result in eating fewer calories, as slow eaters seem to release more of the hormones that make you feel full. Just taking the time to eat more slowly and savor every bite may be one small easy step you can take to live healthier and avoid overeating! You may find it helps to use the smaller salad forks & teaspoons, versus the larger dinner forks & spoons, or to sit down and engage in conversation with your family/friends/roommates over dinner (an easy, healthy habit in and of itself!).

Click here to read the full New York Times article from February 22, 2010, The Claim: To Cut Calories, Eat Slowly