Dr. Paul Biondich designs custom high-performance sport nutrition programs for professional athletes. He’s also completed his own IsaBody Challenge®, transforming his body by using Isagenix products and strength training.
Dr. Biondich knows the potential downfalls of bad snacking, and the secrets to snacking safely. Some of our Canadian Associates have had the opportunity to attend training with Dr. Paul, but for those who can’t make it to the Great White North, here’s what he shared.
Snacking Is Big Business
Worldwide, snacks are an estimated $300 billion per year industry. Healthy snacks make up less than $30 billion of that market. It’s no wonder, then, that consumers are bombarded with unhealthy snack options on a daily basis. Nearly 1 in 6 adults get more than 40% of their total daily calories from snacks. With unhealthy snack options as the norm, this is scary news.
Why Do People Snack?
People snack for a variety of reasons: hunger between meals, mindless eating or to satisfy cravings. There’s nothing inherently wrong with snacking between meals, instead, the value or danger lies in your choice of snacks. Luckily, the healthy snack market is growing, giving you more options to snack safely rather than destroying your diet.
How To Spot a Bad Snack
What makes a snack bad? Empty calories, bad fats, artificial ingredients, and misleading portions.
Think about a snack food that is high in calories but doesn’t satisfy your hunger or fuel your body. That’s an empty-calorie snack. It’s adding to your waistline but isn’t helping you stay active, build lean muscle or feel full.
Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, are convenient and inexpensive for the food industry but terrible for your body. According to the American Heart Association, these man-made fats lower your good cholesterol, raise your bad cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
While the artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors in your snack food are FDA-regulated, there is still concern about the long-term health effects of ingesting these unnatural ingredients. Furthermore, studies on the effect of artificial sweeteners on weight loss are inconclusive or produce conflicting results. Some studies have even suggested that artificial sweeteners (like splenda) are associated with weight gain!
A final hallmark of bad snacks is a misleading portion size. A serving may only contain 100 calories, but how many servings are in the package?
Make sure you understand the full nutritional impact of a snack before consuming it.
What to Look for in a Good Snack
Good snacks will leave you feeling full, curb cravings, help maintain your muscle mass and are convenient for your lifestyle. Ingredients like protein and fiber help you feel full and satiated so your snack is truly a snack and not a binge.
- A good snack will satisfy your craving, whether it’s sweet, salty or savory.
- A good snack will have protein to help you maintain muscle mass. The more lean muscle you carry, the more calories you burn, the more likely you are to meet or maintain your health goals.
- Lastly, a good snack is convenient for your lifestyle. If a snack is too time-consuming to make, too messy to transport or otherwise inconvenient then you won’t use it. If you don’t use it and revert to bad snacks, you’re sabotaging yourself and your goals. With this in mind, Isagenix offers several snacking options, like Barbecue or Sour Cream & Chive Whey Thins.
More Post You May Like
Cleanse Day Snack Ideas
Shake Day Snack Ideas
Does Isagenix Work?
How Much Is The Isagenix 30 Day System?
Sources:
http://isafyi.com/dr-paul-biondich-teaches-safe-snacking-for-fantastic-figures/
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Trans-Fats_UCM_301120_Article.jsp
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/artificial-sweeteners/