Snacking can have many benefits, especially when keeping healthier ingredients, portion sizes and personal caloric needs in mind. Some of these benefits include:
|
Snacking Benefit
|
How It Works
|
|
For everyone:
|
| Weight Management |
- Provides structure to a daily eating plan, even when work/school/travel schedules are erratic2-5
|
| Weight Loss |
- Pre-empts hunger with planned snacks6
- May help to avoid overeating at meals7
|
| Sustained Energy Throughout the Day |
- Fuels the body to prepare for exercise and physical activity8
- Supplies energy during periods of the day when hunger strikes (e.g. "the 4 o'clock slump")9
|
|
For Special Populations
|
People with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes:
Controlling Blood Sugar |
- Provides a consistent source of carbohydrates, resulting in improved blood sugar control15
- Decreases the risk for various causes of hypoglycemia including rapid gastric emptying, known as dumping syndrome and recurrent episodes of low blood glucose levels, known as reactive hypoglycemia16
- Foods high in fats and protein with little to no carbohydrate content minimally affect blood glucose levels. Pair these nutrients with carbohydrate at meals and snacks for a well-balanced diet
|
| Older Adults |
- May encourage older adults experiencing decreased appetite and taste changes to eat a more balanced diet17,18
- Provides an important source of energy and nutrients in a population at increased risk for malnutrition19
|
| Children and Adolescents |
- Scheduled snacks promote structured eating patterns and decrease the likelihood of eating in the absence of hunger20
- Creates more opportunities to include vitamins and minerals such as potassium, zinc, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, folate, and fiber into the diet10
|
| Pregnancy |
- Helps women to meet their personal weight gain goals throughout their pregnancy will minimizing nausea
- Limited research suggests that snacking may increase likelihood of a full-term pregnancy21
|
