From Eveningsnews.com
Make 2008 the Year of Healthy Snacking
By
Jan 16, 2008, 23:20
(ARA) – The holidays are now just a distant memory; the ball has long dropped along with that New Year’s resolution to eat better and lose weight.
It’s time to make a real change that you’ll enjoy keeping: snack more.
Sunsweet Growers has the perfect tool to lead the way with a new interactive Web site encouraging consumers to choose healthier snacks over conventional unhealthy snacks.
Registered Dietitian Carolyn O’Neil supports the healthy snacking trend. “Let’s face it – we’re a snacking society,” she says. “It’s time to embrace snacking by getting smart.”
The Sunsweet Swap is a new site that encourages people to swap out their current convenient snack for Sunsweet Ones, individually wrapped prunes.
When consumers visit www.sunsweetswap.com they will learn healthy snacking tips, along with providing a nutritional chart to compare calories, fat, and salt content of different snacks.
“What I love about the Sunsweet Swap is it shows the nutritional benefits your body receives by swapping out something like pretzels for Sunsweet Ones. The snacking examples help people make choices that create nutrition-wise habits, and in turn, a healthier lifestyle,” adds O’Neil.
O’Neil offers the following tips for mastering the art of snacking.
1. Plan Mini-Meals
Think of a snack as a mini-meal and an opportunity to add servings of healthy foods to your day. Adding a protein source (such as cheese, yogurt or nuts) will help tame hunger longer.
2. Make it Convenient
Since you are often grabbing a snack because you’re hungry and in a hurry, plan to have healthy grab-and-go options close at hand. Dried fruit such as individually wrapped Sunsweet Ones prunes can be stashed in your desk drawer, your purse or your car so that you easily enjoy something sweet which adds fiber to your diet (important for digestive health) and a variety of nutrients from the fruit group.
3. Enjoy What You Crave
But do it the smart way. If you’ve got to have something savory and crunchy, choose options that meet that need without a lot of fat and calories. If your snack-tooth craves something sweet, reach for fruit instead of candy. Want something smooth and creamy? Choose low-fat or nonfat yogurts instead of ice cream. You’ll get more calcium per serving and save big time on fat and calories.
4. Keep Size in Mind
Try to limit snacks to about 100 calories, which should last you until your next meal. That could be 1 cup of celery sticks with 2 tablespoons of hummus dip or the sweet indulgence of savoring four prunes.
5. Think about Drinks
When choosing a beverage for a snack, think about its health benefits, too. Nonfat milk and vegetable juices are a liquid source of vitamins, minerals and in the case of fruit juices such as PlumSmart plum juice, they can be an excellent source of dietary fiber.
Deciding what to snack on should be a conscious and active decision, with nutritional benefits and serving size in mind.
Many people forget: snacks count as part of your daily diet. Instead of grabbing for that bag of chips in your desk drawer, arm yourself with healthy alternatives. Your body will thank you for it.
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