Eating snacks multiple times won't harm your health! However, ‘this food’ is an exception.

After consuming a clean diet full of vegetables, a sense of reward kicks in, making it feel acceptable to eat a small amount of unhealthy snacks. However, one study showed that one in four people with healthy eating habits still make sure to eat unhealthy snacks. Eating this way not only negates the benefits of a healthy diet but also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

 

◇ Potato chips and jelly can harm your health even if you eat them just once

 

It is okay to eat snacks, as long as they are not ultra-processed foods. A team led by Dr. Sarah Berry at King's College London tracked the dietary and snacking habits of 854 adults to determine the effects of snacking on the body. The research team had participants consume standardized meals for an average of 10 days and recorded the quantity and types of snacks consumed online. Approximately 95% of the subjects ate snacks, with an average intake of 2.28 pieces. About 30% of the participants consumed snacks two or more times. The types of snacks consumed also varied, with about 26% eating ultra-processed foods such as chocolate, cake, potato chips, and ice cream.

The analysis revealed that people who consumed ultra-processed foods—which are high in calories and sugar but low in nutritional value—as snacks had higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood sugar levels compared to those who did not. Furthermore, they failed to reap the benefits of a healthy diet and faced increased risks of stroke, heart disease, and obesity.

It has been confirmed that consuming large amounts of snacks itself does not have a negative impact on health. In fact, those who consumed healthy snacks showed more efficient metabolism and better appetite management. It also did not have a negative effect on blood lipid levels or blood pressure. The research team stated, "Replacing unhealthy snacks, such as cookies, with healthy ones is a very simple and efficient way to maintain health."

 

◇ As a high-protein snack before 9 PM

 

What are some healthy snacks? Natural ingredients with a high protein content are recommended. A study published in the international journal 'Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome' showed that a group consuming high-protein snacks was highly likely to succeed in healthy weight loss by maintaining muscle mass while reducing fat. Eating high-protein snacks increases levels of GLP-1 and peptide hormones, which promote satiety, while decreasing levels of ghrelin, which increases appetite.

 

Examples of healthy snacks include eggs, nuts, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, and chia seeds. These include, etc. However, even healthy snacks should not be eaten after 9 PM. In the aforementioned research by Dr. Berry

 

Snacks eaten after 9 p.m. were found to significantly increase blood sugar and blood lipid levels, whether nutritionally good or not.

 

 

Reporter Lee Seul-bi