Many people have varying opinions on whether snacking is good for you or not. Snacking is eating small portions of food at times other than when you’d normally eat full meals. People often resort to snacking when they find themselves getting hungry before mealtime. While people do often think of unhealthy options when they hear the word “snack”, there are definitely ways to snack healthily. The debate, however, is around whether snacking of any kind is healthy or not. There are a lot of things to consider when looking into the possible benefits or problems of snacking. Here’s a quick overview of how snacking can affect your body in different ways.
1. Does snacking affect your metabolism?
There is a common misconception in the food world where people believe that snacking may allow your body to boost its metabolism. The theory behind this is that eating more often will keep your digestive track running, and thus your metabolism will be better functioning. This isn’t quite true, however. Many studies show that snacking every few hours actually has little to no effect on one’s metabolism. Snacking shouldn’t be carried out on the basis of improving metabolism.
2. How does snacking affect weight?
There is often an assumption that snacking can lead to weight gain. This may occur if someone excessively snacks. However, there are mixed findings in studies about whether any type of snacking definitively affects weight. In general, it’s recommended to snack at a reasonable rate and time, and to choose healthier options.
3. How does snacking affect appetite?
This is another variable factor when it comes to snacking. Appetite is dependent from individual to individual. Studies have shown different things from the idea that snacking can only momentarily ease hunger, to snacking actually decreasing hunger overall. It largely depends on what you eat as a snack.
While it can be quite difficult to make a decision on whether snacking is actually good due to varying study conclusions, keeping in mind a few tips is important. The way your body reacts to snacking is different from person to person. It’s important to watch how often and at what time you’re eating. Almost most importantly, watch what types of foods you are eating as well. It also doesn’t hurt to reach out to a trusted medical professional to address your snacking habits
Works Cited:
Spritzler, F. (2019, June 19). Is Snacking Good or Bad for You? Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/snacking-good-or-bad
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