Snacking is when you eat or drink something in between your usual meals. Chips and cookies are examples of processed, high-calorie foods that are sometimes referred to as "snack foods." However, regardless of whether the food is nutritious, snacking simply refers to eating or drinking between meals. The primary driving force behind snacking is hunger, but other elements like location, social context, hour of day, and food accessibility also play a role.

People who struggle with blood sugar levels may benefit from snacks. Blood sugar levels will increase after a snack and then drop. Between meals, blood sugar levels can drop too much without snacks. Snacks like carrots with bean dip are examples of high protein, high fibre snacks. Due to the delayed digestion of this food, blood sugar levels won't fluctuate. The importance of this cannot be overstated for diabetics.

After exercise, healthier food selections can aid in refuelling stored energy and hasten muscle recovery. An apple and cheese stick would be a nice example of a carbohydrate and protein source for a post-workout snack. The best promotion will come from eating that snack 15 to 30 minutes after working out. Yogurt, bananas, and toast with peanut butter are some other foods that promote good recuperation and supply necessary nutrients. Keeping nutritious snacks on hand will help you stay away from bad snacking. When hunger strikes, having prepared and easily available healthful foods might be helpful.

A snack serving should be substantial enough to satisfy your hunger, without being excessively calorie-dense or interfering with your appetite for a meal. As a general guideline, aim for 150–250 calories per snack. This is comparable to a string cheese and six whole grain crackers, or an apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter. When selecting a packaged food like chips, dried fruit, or almonds, check the Nutrition Facts panel at the top of the panel to find out how many servings are in one serving.

Benefits

• Gives you an energy boost if you go long hours without eating and your blood sugar levels fall.
• Assists in reducing appetite to avoid overeating at the following meal.
• Offers additional nutrients when choosing particular snacks like nuts or fresh fruit.
• If a person has a limited appetite yet is unable to eat full meals, perhaps because of an illness, it may help them maintain adequate nutrients.

Pitfalls

• Unwanted weight gain if servings or snacking frequency are excessive and include too many calories.
• Snacking excessively raises the danger of missing out on essential nutrients by decreasing hunger at mealtimes or leading one to skip meals entirely.

Archives of General Internal Medicine  is an International online open access Journal focuses on providing latest information on novel findings in the field of immunology, endocrinology, nephrology, pulmonology, cardiology, anesthesiology, gynaecology, neurology, and cardiology.

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Archives of General Internal Medicine