You may think that snacking at work isn't healthy, but eating a small amount of food between meals has several benefits. The trick is choosing the right snack. Avoid hitting the vending machine when hunger strikes because most of the options are high in salt, calories, fat or sugar. Opting for nutrient-dense snacks helps fulfill your vitamin and minerals needs, which improves many aspects of your health and productivity. Planning ahead and packing a snack from home makes this easier.
Improves Productivity
Refueling your brain periodically throughout your workday improves your concentration and thereby, your productivity. The right nutrients help you focus and think, and get more done in the office. Complex carbohydrates offer fuel for your brain cells, which allows you to work harder and more efficiently, and come in the form of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods like popcorn and whole wheat crackers.
Controls Weight
You may think that snacking hinders your weight loss goals, but eating a healthy snack between meals can help you control your appetite. Keeping your stomach filled with nutritious foods keeps you from reaching for junk food when hunger strikes. Bringing your own snacks and stashing them in your desk or the office refrigerator allows you to be prepared and reduces the chances that you will buy junk food from the vending machine. The trick is to choose a snack that is about 100 calories or you may overdo it, which will interfere with weight loss and may contribute to weight gain. Good choices include fruits and vegetables, low-fat yogurt or a handful of nuts.
Increases Energy
If you body uses its stores of food before your next meal, you may find your energy lagging, and fatigue may set in. Having snacks between meals gives you the fuel you need to get through your work day. Skipping snacks may result in a craving for something high in sugar or fat and lead to eating something unhealthy. A mix of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein is the best nutrient combination when it comes to a snack for energy. Try yogurt with granola and fruit, vegetables and hummus, string cheese and fruit, baked corn chips with salsa, a fruit and yogurt smoothie or half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Optimizes Nutrient Intake
Adding healthy snacks to your work day helps you reach the daily recommended intake for many nutrients that are essential to good overall health. This includes vitamins A, C, D and E, iron, potassium, calcium and fiber. Skipping snacks or eating junk food does not offer the same nutritional benefits. Incorporating a healthy mix of foods from each of the foods groups in your meals and snacks is the best way to optimize the amount of nutrients you take in each day.
References
- CNN Health; Snack Strategies: 4 Cases Where Eating Between Meals Can Work; Stacey Colino; August 2007
- Family Education: Nutrition Essentials for Feeling Good
- MayoClinic.com; Snacks: How They Fit Into Your Weight-Loss Plan; May 2010
- American Dietetic Association; The Advantages of Healthy Snacks; October 2007
- Kids Health; Smart Snacking; May 2009
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