Snacks Are The Reason You’re Packing on The Pounds!

According to a new study, nearly a quarter of the calories adults consume comes from snacks…

Adults consume an average of 400 to 500 calories in snacks every day, which generally are lacking in protein, vitamins and minerals, the study found.

That’s more than the average breakfast — which is 300 to 400 calories. Snacks also comprise about one-third of daily added sugar consumed by most adults. Overall, snacks made up 19.5% to 22.4% of adults’ total calorie consumption.

The most common snacks were convenience foods high in fats and carbohydrates — followed by sweets, alcoholic or sugary beverages, protein, milk and dairy, and fruits and grains. Vegetables were by far the smallest portion of snacks.

Fruits and vegetables only made up about 5% of the total snacking calories.

BE A GOOD SNACKER!

When choosing a snack, the dietitian recommends people pick any combination of three macronutrients: healthy fats, carbohydrates and protein. 

"Instead of just eating a piece of fruit, enjoy fruit and nuts — or instead of just chips, enjoy tortilla chips and guacamole as a snack," she suggested.

Another general rule of thumb when snacking is to aim for as many unprocessed components as possible…