The rules of healthy snacking
Updated: May 05, 2015
Registered dietitian Kristen Yarker shares her go-to healthy snack ideas
Source: Best Health magazine, May 2015
Is snacking a good think for your metabolism?
The scientific evidence is mixed on whether snacks help with digestion and metabolism. What’s clear is that when people get really hungry, they choose more unhealthy foods, eat more quickly and eat too much. So, one of the best benefits of snacks is that they prevent you from getting to this point. Planning ahead and eating a healthy snack when you’re just starting to get hungry will prevent you from making unhealthy choices later.
What constitutes a healthy snack? Does it have to be low-fat?
More important than low-fat is choosing foods with healthy fats. Protein, fibre and fats help keep you full longer and keep energy levels even. It’s a smart choice to include foods that provide one or more of these, like nuts, dairy products and whole grains, in your snacks.
What are your favourite snack suggestions for active women?
As a businesswoman, avid surfer (Yarker lives in Victoria, B.C.), trail runner and yogi, I’m an active woman myself! Here are some of my personal favourites: plain yogurt with hemp hearts and berries, buckwheat cakes spread with almond butter and topped with sliced apple, and raw veggies with bean dip.
