What comes up, must come down right?

Well right, but wrong! And I'm talking about our energy levels throughout the day.

Healthy snacks …we hear about them all the time. Drink more water, eat more fruit, less chocolate – for those of you who know me will know just how often I go on and on, and on … about it.

We know chocolate tastes good. It gives us that loved up feeling – it's short but sweet. But what would you say if I said you can have that feeling all day? (And I don't mean eat chocolate ALL day either).

We can, as long as we eat good healthily snacks. Refined sugar sends out energy levels straight up, giving us an energy boost but then we get tired, sleepy, and grumpy later on - you know the 3pm feeling. But this can be avoided with good healthy grassing throughout the day. Drinking water helps boost our metabolic rate, this supplies energy to our body. Healthy grazing throughout the day will supply the body with a trickle feed of energy which can prevent the peaks and troughs, reduce energy being stored as fat and reduce those cravings which we all know are sometimes impossible to resist.


The trick here is to stick to it. If we're used to certain food at certain time it's likely our bodies will become somewhat lazy and expect them instead of drawing on our existing energy stores (our body fat). We can be a little stubborn sometimes with this adjustment – but be sure to tell yourself who’s boss – and you are! It won't happen over night, but it will happen…. Trust me.

What are healthy snacks?

Choosing healthy snacks means shopping smart. Be cautious of the health claims on food packages. Just because something is "all natural" or "pure" doesn't necessarily mean that it's nutritious. For example, "all natural" juice drinks or sodas can be filled with sugar (which is, after all, a natural ingredient) but all that sugar means they'll be high in calories and give you little nutrition.

Be skeptical of low-fat food claims, too. If the fat has been eliminated or cut back, the amount of sugar in the food may have increased to keep that food tasting good. Many low-fat foods have nearly as many calories as their full-fat versions.

Whatever claims a food's manufacturer writes on the front of the package, you can judge whether a food is healthy for you by reading the ingredients and the nutrition information on the food label.

Try these fresh fruit options:

Apple, Apricot, Avocado (in moderation), Banana, Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry, Currant, Cherry, Date, Grape, Grapefruit, Kiwi fruit, Kumquat, Lemon, Lime, Lychee, Mango, Melon - Cantaloupe, Honeydew & Watermelon, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Plum/prune (dried plum), Pineapple, Pomegranate, Raisin, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Satsuma, Strawberry, Tangerine, Tomato and my favourite random fruit the Ziziphus mauritiana (true!). The Ziziphus mauritiana (Indian Jujube, or Cottony Jujube) is a type of fruit tree. It is most often found in south-east Asia, usually India.

Other healthy snacks:

Select foods that can satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Choose a wide variety of these foods to ensure that you get all the necessary nutrients and to make your snacks more interesting. Here are some of your best snack picks:

• Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fibre and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy that has some staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crisp breads.

• Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small number of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients.

• Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds contain mostly monounsaturated fat, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.

• Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus a variety of other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have a lot of added sugar, so consider "light" yogurt if you want to limit your calorie intake.

Though snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if not eaten in moderation. For example, a single serving of almonds (about 23 kernels or a handful) contains 164 calories. But if you eat handful after handful until it totals a cup of almonds, the calorie count jumps to 800-plus calories.

So what are your best choices? Here are several suggestions:

10 calories
large stalk of celery

25-30 calories
1 cup raw vegetables 6 medium baby carrots

60 calories
2 cups air-popped or light popcorn, 1 cup of cantaloupe or grapes or 1 small can of vegetable juice

100 calories
1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries 2 domino-sized slices low-fat
Colby or cheddar cheese 1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup

150 calories
1/2 cup frozen, low-fat yogurt topped with 1/2 cup blueberries 1 cup sliced apples with 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter 4 slices hole-grain crisp bread (a wafer-thin cracker)

200 calories
1/4 cup dry roasted soy nuts (calories vary by brand), 1/3 cup granola, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese topped with 1/2 cup sliced fresh peaches

Source: Department of Agriculture — Nutrient Data Laboratory, 2005

Quick, easy-to-prepare snacks

You're more apt to opt for good-for-you snacks if you stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast — not fussy. These ideas for healthy snacks minimize fat and calories and maximize whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

• Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice lean bacon, a tomato slice and one slice low-fat cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts.

• Mash half a banana into 2 teaspoons peanut butter and spread onto a whole-grain bagel. Large bagels contain up to 400 calories, so choose a smaller bagel.

• Mix 1/4 cup cold leftover chicken or convenience-type chunk chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon plain yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise, and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into a hollowed-out green pepper or half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.

• Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.

• Layer a soft mini corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts. Slice into bite-sized pie shapes. Dip into some salsa if desired.

• Spread 1 ounce ricotta cheese over a brown rice cake. Layer with fresh strawberries or a tablespoon of sugar-free spreadable fruit. Or try using a spread of herbed goat cheese and sliced olives.

• Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.

• Spread 1 tablespoon fruit-flavoured low-fat yogurt or 100 percent fruit jam over a slice of whole-grain crisp bread.

Heed your hunger pangs, but forget the guilt. With planning and a little preparation, you can.

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