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The Healthy Snack

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The Healthy Snack

Rice cakes or corn, breadsticks or bread sticks, granola bars, crackers in single-serve packets, biscuits or rolls stuffed popcorn ... Many products which are offered as healthy snacks to eat between meals and care for the line with adequate calories. All messages displayed on their packaging that suggest the careful selection of ingredients and simple preparation, which makes them healthier and lighter in calories if you take the diet suggested by the manufacturer.

Called also snacks and savory snacks, there are also sweet, such as cereal bars or chocolate covered biscuits with flavors (chocolate, berries, apples, etc.). A review of its labeling will help understand the nutritional composition of these products, and determine whether it can be considered safe to eat snacks between meals.

The added value of manufacturers is included in the nutrition labeling values for both energy and nutrients per 100 grams per serving of consumption as suggested, or singly. This information is key to the consumer and guides him to consider serving as a snack healthy in terms of calories in your diet. The weakness of these appetizers is that, while nutritious, balanced, displace more nutritious foods like fruits, if they become the food of choice for snacking, lunches and snacks.

Cereal Pancakes

Cereal Pancakes

The ingredients in these foods are simple: the grain that gives name to the pancake (rice, corn or multigrain) and salt, although you have to add vegetable oils, dressings and condiments such as ginger and some additive emulsifier. The result is a product that provides between 25 and 30 kcal per pancake, where most of the calories are given by the natural complex carbohydrates in cereals. These nutrients should be increased because they provide energy gradually, resulting in a feeling of fullness you feel when eating pancakes: three equivalent in calories to a piece of fruit,although it has higher nutrient density regulators (vitamins, antioxidants, minerals).

The disadvantage of the salt. The sodium content in the patties between 40 and 100 mg per pancake, and per 100 grams contribute between 600 mg and 1,300 mg of this mineral. The WHO recommendation regarding the consumption of salt is not to exceed 6 grams per day, equivalent to 2.4 grams of sodium. Foods are considered a high amount of sodium those with more than 500 mg per 100 g of food. Most pancakes they would therefore not be recommended in the diet of those who must care for medical and eat without salt.

Suitable for coeliacs. Those that are made from corn or rice can be well tolerated by people celiac. Should read the label carefully to see if they carry over cereal mixture.

Breadsticks and bread sticks

Flour, oil seeds (pipes, sesame salt and sugar ...), usually common ingredients in different versions of breadsticks. To this is added the addition of different cereal flours and various additives (emulsifiers, thickeners, antioxidants, flavors). The mixture results in an energy product (430-525 kcal), but if we respect the ration suggested by the manufacturer (25-30 grams) is not much and stays on just over 100 kcal, a similar amount if consuming a ration of 3-4 grain pancakes.

Its taste appetizing invited to continue eating, it is appropriate to separate the portion of an appetizer and save the rest. If not, can pass as the pipes or potato chips, you keep eating until the bag is finished and then it's too late too many calories.
These carbohydrate products are the most important nutrients, but also a considerable contribution of fat, since the latter oils are ingredients in quantities used for their preparation.

The disadvantage of the salt. The weakness of breadsticks is salt. All fall under the category of foods high in sodium, with over 500 mg per 100 grams. The contribution ranges between 700 mg and 1,400 mg. Should therefore read the labels if you want to choose the least contain added salt.

The advantage of the fiber. In carrying seeds (pipes, sesame) and whole grains, fiber content is higher than other snacks. One serving of bread sticks contributes about one gram of fiber, although this amount is far from the 25 grams of fiber recommended. Fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables and vegetables, legumes and grains (bread, rice and pasta) integrals are the most healthy and easy to achieve the recommendations.

Healthy granola bars

The most abundant ingredients include cereal bars (30-55% of total): oatmeal, wheat, corn, rice bran, among others. The energy bars are varied as their ingredients are very different (muesli, chocolate, bits of fruit).This makes their nutritional composition is different from each other, although they have pooled their modest energy, about 100 kcal per bar (between 88 and 110 kcal). In this product, carbohydrates (largely sugars) are the most important nutrient, and some brands provide substantial amounts of fats and ingredients that add between chocolate, nuts, butter, vegetable oils (up to 5.2 grams per bar, against a gram in those that contain less fat).

The added value of some manufacturers over other snack bars is that they are enriched with vitamins. Even if the diet is varied, it can cover without problem and the requirements of these nutrients.

Too much sugar. The downside is that some of them to enhance their flavor and texture are often add significant amounts of sugar, 25-40 grams of sugar per 100 grams, equivalent to about 8 grams of sugar (1 envelope) by stick.

Healthy crackers in packets

The presentation of the cookies also changes and adapts to modern times. Now wrapped cookies are available in individual portions. Their claim is that they are easy to wear, comfortable and, if we respect the manufacturer's suggested serving, calories are counted. For example, some brands offer a package of three cookies, which provide 99 kcal.

However, they are still cookies and, as such, its content in sugars and fats is modest and higher than other snacks such as bread sticks or cereal pancakes.
The quality of fat. The labeling of cookies is not always specified the type of fat and / or oil used.

They are usually vegetable oils, but no difference between sunflower, corn, soy, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, or coconut and palm oils, with an abundance of saturated fatty acids, which increases excess plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. There will also be added to check if partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats), recognized as the worst fats for the heart and arteries.

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Cereal Pancakes
Breadsticks and bread sticks
Healthy granola bars
Healthy crackers in packets
Related Lenses
Healthy Snacks on eBay
Healthy Snacks on Amazon
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yanton

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The Healthy Snack