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Snacking often gets a bad reputation, and this negative image is not unwarranted. Many individuals tend to choose unhealthy options to satisfy their hunger between meals, which can result in the development of poor eating habits. Junk food is commonly selected as a quick snack, but it fails to provide necessary nutrients or keep hunger at bay until the next meal.
Snacking on the wrong foods too often can cause weight gain, increased risk of chronic diseases, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more. Reaching for unhealthy snacks is tempting-who doesn’t love a sweet or salty treat to satisfy a craving? Some snacks are worse than others and Eat This, Not That! Spoke with health experts who share five unhealthy snacks to skip and why.
What to Avoid
Before adding anything to your cart, read the labels and check for the amount of fat, salt and sugar.
Here’s the limits to abide by, per the American Heart Association.
-Saturated fat is often found in packaged snacks. It can increase your risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels. The AHA guidelines state you shouldn’t have more than 13 grams of saturated fat a day if you follow a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
-The AHA recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.
– High sugar content is another thing to avoid when buying snacks. The AHA says no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and no more than 9 teaspoons for men.
Nutri Grain Bars Blueberry
Nutrition: per serving 1 bar
Calories: 130
Fat: 3.5g (Saturated fat: .5g)
Sodium:120 mg
Carbs:25 g (Fiber: 1g , Sugar: 13g)
Protein: 2g
Nutri Grain Bars look like a healthy and harmless snack, but Dawn Menning, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with the recently launched Nutu, a healthy lifestyle and prediabetes app doesn’t recommend them.
“Think you’re getting a whole grain snack, more like you’re getting a snack with 12 grams of added sugar and just 1 gram of fiber,” she says. “It contains multiple types of sugar including invert sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, vegetable glycerin, and sugar along with several food additives. This is a highly processed snack.”
Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzel Pieces, Hot Buffalo Wing
Nutrition: per serving ⅓ cup
Calories: 130
Fat: 7g (Saturated fat: 3.5g)
Sodium: 370mg
Carbs: 16g (Fiber: <1g , Sugar: 0g)
Protein: 2g
Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzel Pieces, Hot Buffalo Wing are so delicious it’s easy to eat more than a serving, which is unhealthy.
“These pretzels are high in saturated fat and sodium for a 1 oz serving which can have a negative effect on heart health when consumed in excess,” Menning says. “It contains less than 1 gram of fiber which won’t help keep you feeling full.”
Bobo’s Oat Bar Original
Nutrition: per sering ½ bar
Calories: 170
Fat: 6g (Saturated fat: 4g)
Sodium: 65mg
Carbs:27 g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 10g)
Protein: 3g
At first glance it seems like the Bobo’s Oat Bar Original is a healthy snack option. It’s advertised as “wholesome ingredients meets delicious taste,” but it’s high in calories and fat.
“If you aren’t looking at the label carefully, you might not notice that the nutrition facts are for ½ the bar,” Menning points out.
She says, “If you eat the entire bar, this snack contains 340 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, and 20 grams of added sugar. For a snack, this has a lot of calories and 21% of those calories come from saturated fat. In addition, it has approximately 5 teaspoons of sugar in it, which is more than half of the recommended amount per day.”
Fig Newtons
Nutrition: per serving 2 fig newtons
Calories: 200
Fat: 4g (Saturated fat: 1g)
Sodium: 180mg
Carbs: 41g (Fiber: <1g , Sugar: 24g)
Protein: 2g
Another snack Menning suggests avoiding is Fig Newtons.
“They may sound healthy as they contain figs, but they also pack a lot of added sugar, 16 grams worth,” she says. “Consuming too much added sugar can put you at risk for obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. They also contain artificial flavors and additives.”
Hostess Ding Dongs
Nutrition: per serving 2 cakes
Calories: 310
Fat: 16g (Saturated fat: 10g)
Sodium: 290mg
Carbs: 42g (Fiber: 1g , Sugar: 31g)
Protein: 2g
The No. 1 unhealthy snack on the list is Hostess Ding Dongs, which is really a dessert disguised as a snack.
“Beyond the high calorie count, Hostess Ding Dongs contains 31g of Total Sugar which is almost entirely added sugars,” says Michelle Rauch MSc RDN, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for The Actors Fund.
She adds, “If the high calorie and sugar content didn’t scare you off, look at the fat. One serving contains 16g of Total fat of which more than half is of the saturated fat you’re supposed to have a day. The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 6% of your total calories from saturated fat and avoiding a diet high in overall fat, especially those of saturated and trans fats which have been associated with increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.”
