Eating healthy foods can increase your health and prevent several diseases. However, eating unhealthy foods such as candy bars can increase the risk of developing chronic medical conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Choose healthier snack options such as salad, fruit, nuts or candy bars that have fruit and nuts and low fat.
Healthy Eating
Eating healthfully can assist in digestion, lower the risk of damage done in the body by free radicals, reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and heart disease and maintain a healthy weight. Eating healthy and exercising are the number one ways to prevent disease and extend your lifespan. The USDA recommends eating dairy, protein, carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables every day in order to keep healthy. The USDA also recommends limiting foods that are in the empty calorie category, such as candy bars and other junk foods.
Risks
The reason you should eat whole foods and minimize foods such as candy bars is to protect your heart and maintain a healthy weight. Candy bars are often high in saturated fat and trans fat, both of which can cause your low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol” levels to increase, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. In addition, candy bars are high in sugar, which causes a sharp increase in your blood glucose levels after eating it. Soon after, the blood glucose plummets, causing you to feel hungry again. Not only does this contribute to weight gain, but the fluctuations in blood glucose also can lead to type-2 diabetes.
Considerations
Everything in moderation, the saying goes. It’s OK to have a candy bar every now and again, but the American Heart Association recommends cutting your saturated fat intake down to 7 percent of your caloric intake and your trans-fat consumption down to 1 percent of your caloric intake. Look for candy bars that are low in both saturated and trans fat and do not eat more than the serving size. Pay careful attention to the nutrition facts label, as some candy bars contain more than one serving.
Concerns
If you have type-2 diabetes or hyperglycemia, consult with your dietitian before eating foods that contain high amounts of sugar and fats such as candy bars. If you are trying to lose weight and you have continuous cravings for sugar, consult with your physician on ways to minimize the cravings.
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