After following a clean diet filled with vegetables, the reward mentality seems to kick in, making it feel okay to indulge in a few unhealthy snacks. A study found that one in four people with healthy eating habits also consume unhealthy snacks. Eating this way not only negates the benefits of healthy eating but also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

 

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

 

Eating snacks is okay. As long as they are not ultra-processed foods. Dr. Sarah Berry's team at King's College London in the UK tracked the eating habits and snacking habits of 854 adults to examine the effects of snacks on the body. The research team had the experimental participants consume a standardized diet for an average of 10 days, and recorded the types and quantities of any additional snacks consumed online. About 95% of the experiment subjects ate snacks, with an average intake of 2.28 items. Approximately 30% of the participants snacked more than twice. 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 showed that people who snacked on ultra-processed foods high in calories and sugar but low in nutritional value had higher body mass index (BMI) and blood sugar levels compared to those who did not. Additionally, they did not reap the benefits of healthy eating habits and had an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and obesity.

Eating a lot of snacks itself has been found not to have a negative impact on health. People who consumed healthy snacks experienced smoother metabolism and better appetite control. It also did not negatively affect blood lipid levels or blood pressure. The research team stated, "Replacing unhealthy snacks like cookies with healthy ones is a very simple and effective way to maintain health."

 

◇As a high-protein snack, before 9 PM

 

What are healthy snacks? I recommend natural ingredients with high protein content. A study published in the international journal 'Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome' reported that groups consuming high-protein snacks tend to successfully lose weight healthily by maintaining muscle mass while reducing fat. Eating high-protein snacks increases levels of GLP-1 and peptide hormones that promote satiety, and decreases levels of ghrelin hormone that stimulates appetite.

 

Examples of healthy snacks include eggs, nuts, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, and chia seeds. However, healthy snacks should not be consumed after 9 PM. In a previous study by Dr. Berry,

 

Snacks eaten after 9 PM have been shown to significantly raise blood sugar and blood lipid levels, regardless of their nutritional value.

 

 

Reporter Isulbi