Diet food and ‘lite’ snacks seem attractive as ways to stay healthy, but they’re not always the best choice.
So many people say they lost weight because they cut out snacking. And you probably can. And others say they reduced their fat intake and the pounds fell off. That’s also likely true.
Some experts say though, that snacking is the way to go and that you really should be eating fatty snacks- no more Rice Krispie squares and waffly crackers.
Here are 4 reasons to lay on the fatty snacks:
1) It Can Make You Eat Less
Snacking on the right foods, in appropriate amounts can actually help you lose weight. We’re not saying you should go ahead and down a full bag of cheesies and call it helpful. We’re talking about good fatty snacks.
Related: 10 Foods With the Most Trans Fat
Eating an avocado or some bread with hummus part way through the afternoon can give your body the fiber and nutrients it needs to make it to dinner without feeling the need to purge on a giant bucket of fried chicken.
Related: 5 Ways to Lose Weight From People Who Have Lost Weight
In essence, if you snack on foods with healthy fats and consider with care what you eat for dinner, you can end up eating less at the end of the day, making it easier to maintain or lose weight.
2) It Can Lower Your Risk of Pre-Diabetes
If you love to crunch on something in the afternoon or mid-morning, reaching for a bunch of processed cookies isn’t doing your body any favors. All that sugar and the processed carbs are making it easier for you to develop pre-diabetes in the long run.
Related: Cut Carbs, Not Fat If You Want to Lose Weight: Harvard Study
According to Harvard, fattier snacks like hummus, natural peanut butter and nuts are full of polyunsaturated fats, which is good news. Unlike trans fats that can bring you a whole host of problems, these guys actually help ward off type 2 diabetes.
Here’s to almond butter on celery sticks!
3) It Will Satisfy Those Cravings
Having some good fat in your system means your going to feel fuller and it will take longer for you to feel hungry again as time passes.
Related: Unfortunately, One Third of the World is Now Overweight
If you tend to snack on processed carbs, you might be satisfying your craving for cake in the moment, but chances are it’ll be back again in 20 minutes or so. Eating some good fats can break the chain of constant bad snacking and replace it with something more substantial.
4) Your Local Chicken Farmer Will Love You
Hard boiled eggs are a great snack with fat in it that helps you out. Once you’re hooked on deviled eggs, there’s really no turning back. If you live near a local egg producer, stock up and you’ll be good to go. If not, check out Costco’s large trays of cheap organic eggs to land you on your feet.
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