The life expectancy of Americans continues to decrease over time due to increasing health concerns. Obesity continues to be an ongoing problem resulting in various forms of diseases and ailments including heart diseases, stroke, diabetes, and different cancers.
In fact, 42.4% of Americans are currently obese (30 pounds or more over weight).
The prevalence of obesity is a fairly new phenomenon not widely experienced a few short generations ago. The food processing and manufacturing techniques of the twentieth century caused a spike in the occurrence of obesity and other related health problems.
Hi, I’m Sean Torbati. The world of today provides more food options than ever. Although just a few short generations ago many people suffered from malnourishment—the opposite is true today with an overwhelming supply of food available within arm’s reach. The problem is many options are processed and contain excessive amounts of sugar and harmful ingredients.
Choosing what we put into our bodies is the first step towards achieving better health. Although many people follow relatively healthy diets, the freedom and availability of snacks makes it challenging to find healthy options.
Let’s take a look at why snacks are a problem and which items should be avoided as part of healthy diet.
Why are Snacks Addicting?
If you open the pantry of any household in America, you’ll likely find a number of common items including chips, cookies, candy, crackers, and cereal. Each of these snack choices are tempting and desirable due to their properties and makeup.
These products may be sweet, spicy, salty, fried, sugary, or some combination of the above. Furthermore, they’re easy to grab and can be stored on shelves for months or years at a time with no noticeable taste degradation.
Each of these items provide reward sensations making them addictive in nature. In fact, some experts have labeled sugary items to be as addictive as nicotine or heroin (2). These products are designed to trigger dopamine receptors in the body leading to addictive behavior similar to drugs and other substances. Similarly, the body can become addicted, eventually causing weight gain and other problems.
Let’s take a look at some of the most unhealthy snack items found on pantry shelves.
Sugary Cereals
Many people choose to start the day with a big bowl of their favorite cereal. As children we’re conditioned to enjoy breakfast cereal found in boxes prominently displaying cartoon characters. Adults continue eating cereal well after childhood and advertisements even claim it to be “part of this complete breakfast.”
Most of these items contain heavy amounts of sugar and preservatives. The majority of popular cereals are essentially sugar laden processed food options with little to no nutritional value.
Sugary cereals should be avoided or consumed in extreme moderation, if at all. The vast majority of people would be better suited eating breakfast containing eggs and fruit.
Chips
A number of chips can be found on grocery store shelves. Whether it be tortilla chips, potato chips, or corn chips—most of these options contain the same types of harmful ingredients. Most of these options are relatively high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates making them nutritionally limited.
Furthermore, many chips are fried or cooked in excessive oils. Aside from these red flags, options may contain added sugars and excessive amounts of sodium. While sodium in and of itself isn’t a huge problem—a single serving of approximately 10 chips may contain several hundred milligrams of sodium.
The ease and availability of chips makes them a problem. Whether you’re sitting down for chips and salsa at a mexican restaurant or grabbing Doritos from the pantry—people tend to consume several servings prior to putting the bag away. Be careful as these calories can add up in a hurry.
Cookies
Let’s face it, the vast majority of the population loves a good cookie. Consuming a fresh, homemade chocolate chip cookie can be one of the most intoxicating experiences available to the human senses. The problem is the ingredients are, let's say less than healthy.
Cookies are baked with heavy amounts of butter and sugar—causing them to calorically dense. Processed cookies on the other hand can be even more dangerous due to loads of preservatives and hydrogenated oils.
Although these sweet treats may be tasty, they should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
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Crackers
Many people may think of crackers in a traditionally healthy sense. Oftentimes they may be made with whole grains and marketed as “healthy options,” but in reality they’re calorically dense and are low in fiber.
Although some individuals may claim crackers are healthier options compared to chips—serving sizes and macronutrients are comparable when it comes to looking at calories, fat, and carbohydrates.
If you choose to consume crackers I’d recommend limiting serving sizes and carefully reviewing nutrition labels before purchasing.
Candy
This one should be somewhat obvious, but let’s take a look at it. Candy is typically filled with heavy amounts of sugar and fat. Most varieties contain little to no nutritional value, but let’s face it—it can be addicting.
Whether you prefer chocolate varieties or sugary options—candy should be consumed in moderation as calories add up in a hurry. Having too much overtime can result in diabetes and other heart related conditions.
Try to avoid candy if possible and look for healthier options to help with sweet cravings.
The BEST Healthy Snack on the Market
Many snacks available at grocery stores and convenience stores are jam packed with unhealthy ingredients, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and harmful dyes. These options are calorically dense and contain little to no nutritional value.
It’s about time a NEW healthier snack option is available on the market. That’s why I’ve created Snackhouse Puffs®. These new snack alternative options are a pure milk protein based, low carb/low sugar snack food that’s gluten and guilt free!
With 10 mouth watering flavors available, Snackhouse Puffs® are crunchy, flavorful snack options that can be eaten on the go or as a full meal replacement! Whether you’re searching for sweet options or savory treats—look no further than Snackhouse Puffs®.
For more information about Snackhouse Puffs ® feel free to visit our website for additional support! Snack smarter with Snackhouse today!
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