Why You Should Avoid Unhealthy, Addictive Junk Food Snacks

Why You Should Avoid the Worst Snack Foods

We all love snacking. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a tasty treat between meals to curb hunger pangs. However, many popular snack foods are secretly loaded with sugar, unhealthy fats, and empty calories that can sabotage your health and diet goals.

If you're going to indulge in a snack, you want to choose wisely. In this article, we reveal some of the worst snack foods you should avoid if you care about your health and waistline.

1. Chips and Crackers

Chips, cheese crackers, and similar crunchy snack foods tend to be high in calories, fat, and sodium while offering little in the way of nutrition. What makes them so addicting is that they are designed to overrides signals of fullness and trigger overeating.

A 1-ounce serving of chips or crackers contains around 150 calories. However, it's rare that anyone stops there. Studies show that people eat up to 50% more calories when snacking directly out of a package than when served a portion.

2. Sugary Cereals

Many popular kids' cereals like Froot Loops, Cocoa Puffs, and Lucky Charms contain more sugar per cup than desserts like cookies or ice cream. The sweet taste leads kids to crave more, while packing a hefty dose of refined carbs with little fiber, protein, or beneficial fats to balance it out.

The sprinkling of synthetic vitamins and minerals added to sugary cereals only gives parents an illusion of nutritional value. But the bottom line is that no amount of added nutrients can outweigh the negative impact of all that sugar, especially first thing in the morning.

3. Granola Bars

Granola bars are often marketed as a healthy on-the-go snack. However, most mainstream brands resemble candy bars more than a wholesome snack. Loaded with added sugars, corn syrup, and fillers like rice crispies, they offer very little nutrition compared to their high calorie content.

A Nature Valley Oats and Honey or Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry granola bar can pack over 200 calories yet only 2-4 grams of fiber and protein. Compare that to an apple with 80 calories and 4 grams of fiber or Greek yogurt with 100-150 calories and 12+ grams of protein.

Common Unhealthy Ingredients in Snack Foods

Packaged snacks aimed at convenience rather than nutrition often contain questionable ingredients linked to health issues. Here are some of the worst offenders to watch out for.

Refined Flours

Refined, bleached white flour is the norm for crackers, pretzels, chips, and other savory snack items. But refined grains offer very poor nutritional value compared to whole grains. Essential nutrients are stripped out, leaving mainly simple carbs that create a blood sugar roller coaster.

Hydrogenated Oils

To give snacks like chips, cheese balls, and microwave popcorn a crispy texture and long shelf life, manufacturers rely heavily on hydrogenated vegetable oils high in trans fats. But artificial trans fats are conclusively linked to elevated heart disease and stroke risk.

MSG

Monosodium glutamate, popularly known as MSG, is a flavor enhancer added to snacks like chips, savory crackers, and flavored jerkies to intensify taste. MSG allows companies to use less real ingredients like cheese or salt. But evidence links regular MSG consumption to headaches, nausea, and nervous system dysfunction.

Artificial Colors

Brightly colored snack foods get their hues not from natural ingredients like fruits or veggies but from lab-created chemicals. Studies connect artificial food dyes to ADHD, allergies, and cancer. Yet they are still widely used to attract kids and mask poor quality ingredients.

Healthier Snacking Options

Snack time doesn't have to be nutritionally bankrupt. You can satisfy cravings and energy slumps strategically with more wholesome options. When planning snacks, aim for a balance of fiber, protein, and healthy fats to keep you full and nourished.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Keep washed, chopped veggies like carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, and snap peas on hand for quick snacks with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Pair with guacamole, nut butter, or Greek yogurt dip for added nutrition. Apples, berries, bananas and citrus fruits also make portable, nutritious snacks.

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds pack a satisfying crunch along with plant-based protein, healthy fats, and key nutrients. Just watch your portions, as nuts and seeds are calorically dense.

Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn makes a nice light snack as long as you skip the butter, oil, and salt. Sprinkle nutritional yeast, garlic powder, paprika, or Parmesan for flavor. The high fiber content provides volume that can help curb overeating of less healthy foods.

Protein Bars

If you need a convenient, satisfying snack for on-the-go, look for protein bars with limited, recognizable ingredients. Good options offer 10-15 grams of protein mainly from whole food sources like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit rather than concentrates and isolates.

Build a Healthier Snacking Game Plan

The sporadic, mindless snacking encouraged by abundantly available junk food rarely satisfies. You can end up taking in excess calories without getting the nutrition your body craves. Instead, build snacks strategically into your eating plan.

Schedule Your Snacks

Don't wait until hunger hits hard and you reach for whatever quick fix you can grab. This often leads to unhealthy impulse choices and overeating. Instead, plan out when and what you’ll snack on for the day. Distributing calories into portioned snacks creates better satiety than letting yourself get ravenously hungry.

Pair with Protein

Combine snacks with a protein source such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nut butter, or hard boiled eggs. Protein rich foods aid metabolism, slow digestion, and prevent the blood sugar spikes and crashes caused by refined carbs. Your snacks will thus be more satisfying and energizing.

Practice Mindful Eating

When you do snack, savor each bite without distractions from electronics, TV, or work. Check in with your hunger and fullness levels halfway through to test if your body feels satisfied. Slowing down can prevent mindlessly plowing through a whole bag of chips or cookies out of habit rather than true hunger.

Ditching the worst snack offenders that offer little beyond empty calories, fat, sugar, and salt goes a long way towards better health. Combine sensible portion sizes of unprocessed whole foods with a bit of planning ahead, and snacking can be nourishing rather than sabotaging.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.