Lifestyle

Snacking Smarter
By: Cristina Sutter, Registered Dietitian
www.satoriintegrativehealth.com

Your stomach is growling and you need to pick up your energy to get through the rest of the afternoon.   Are you powerless against the call of chips and dip?  Do you crave a decadent treat?  Before you go to the coffee shop or walk by the vending machine, consider this:  These high fat foes slow us down and pack on the pounds.  

Sugary snacks like pop and cookies spike our blood sugar, which releases insulin and causes us to store fat.  Although these treats give us an immediate surge of energy, it is short-lived and we soon find ourselves hungry and unsatisfied.  Adding insult to injury, many common snack foods are laden with fat, which is slow to convert into energy in our body, leaving us feeling sluggish and tired.  Fast food literally slows us down.

Racing Against the Clock? 

Whether you are a working parent juggling errands, a student cramming for exams, or an athlete fueling for your next workout, we all short on time.  But do not despair, you can make healthy snacking the easy choice by stocking up your cupboards with smart snacks that you can grab on the go.  Smart snacks deliver lasting energy, key nutrients and prevent overeating later.  

Smart Snacks: Mix and Match 

You can build your own smart snacks by combining a high fibre carbohydrate with a lean protein.  For a healthy diet, include three balanced meals and one or two smart snacks every day.  

Smart Snacks Include:

» 1 Orange with ¾ cup cottage cheese
» 1 cup sugar snap peas with ¼ cup hummus
» ½ cup baby carrots with a low fat cheese string 
» 1 apple with 1 Tbsp of peanut butter
» 1 low fat yogurt with ¼ cup of almonds 
» 1 oz. baked tortilla chips with 1/3 cup refried beans 
» 1 Ocean's Tuna SnacKit™
» 1 corn tortilla with Ocean’s light tuna sundried tomato salad
» 6 Low fat Triscuit crackers with Ocean's Snack'N Lunch™ Light Tuna Smoked

Ocean’s Snack Solutions deliver a low fat, high protein snack in 25 delicious varieties.   Ocean’s convenient canned tuna can be rolled in a tortilla, packed in a pita, spread on celery or mixed in a salad for your next delicious smart snack.  Ocean’s Snack Solutions makes snacking smarter, easier too.  There are hundreds of combinations, so go ahead and try them all!  

Do your snacks measure up?

Compare your favorite snacks to these Guidelines for Snacking Smarter.  You may be shocked to learn that your usual snacks pack hundreds of extra Calories.  If you replace the daily latte and muffin with Ocean’s Snack ‘N Lunch canned tuna and crackers, you will lose 5 lbs in one month and have energy to spare!  So, what are you waiting for?  Start Snacking Smarter and feeling better with Ocean’s Snack Solutions.

Guidelines for Snacking Smarter	Calories	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fibre (g)
Smart Snacks	100-200	< 6	7-15	< 12	2-5

In the Vending Machine

Snack Food	Amount	Calories	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fibre (g)
Coke	1 can	331	0	0	33	0
Doritos Nacho Chips	85g bag	419	24	6	3	3
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty	1 bar	170	9	4	11	2
Snickers	1 bar	266	11	5	28	1

At the Coffee Shop

Snack Food	Amount	Calories	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fibre (g)
Caffè Latte	Grande	260	14	14	19	0
Chocolate Cookie	1 large	470	23	6	38	2
Frappuccino	Grande	470	16	6	65	0
Lowfat Oatmeal Muffin	1	390	16	8	23	6
Oat Bar	1	460	21	6	39	3
Oat Scone	1	650	35	7	34	2
Whole wheat scone	1	500	18	12	22	5

Smart Snacks

Snack Food	Amount	Calories	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)	Fibre (g)
Banana	1 small	90	0	1	12	2.6
Cheese strings	1 string	69	5	6	0	0
Roasted Almonds	17 whole	119	0.8	4.4	1	2.4
Natural Peanut Butter	1 Tbsp	100	8	4	1	2
Ocean’s Snack ’N Lunch™ Light Tuna Tomato & Onion	85g	90	2.5	11	4	0
Ocean’s Pacific Salmon Thai Salad	170g	200	7	14	1	1
Ocean’s Albacore Tuna SnacKit™	93g	180	6	17	4	0
Triscuit Crackers	6crackers	120	4.5	3	0	3
Yogurt, fat free	100g	94	0.2	4.4	19	0