Snacks

Do you feel hungry between meals?  Do you have the urge to eat snacks at night?  Do you wake with food cravings in the middle of the night?  You are not alone, but you can manage your snacking better.

Why Do I Eat Snacks at Night?

If you are snacking in the night, it is a good indicator that you aren't eating enough of the right foods during the day, and your body is telling you that you are hungry.  If you eat a large evening meal, the insulin in your body will respond and your blood glucose levels are likely to drop, leading to a craving for more food or sugar.

When you sit on the couch to watch TV after dinner and eat snacks, then over time your body will also condition itself to expect snacks at that time of the night, regardless of whether you are really hungry or not.  The habit is formed unconsciously by linking sitting on the couch with eating snacks.

When Should I Eat Snacks?

You are better off eating your snacks during the day, when you have an opportunity to burn off the calories, rather than at night when your body metabolism slows down for sleeping.  Healthy snacks are best timed between your main meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner.  They should be smaller than a meal, as the purpose of a snack is to fill you up just until the next meal time, not for the whole day.

Your metabolism and blood glucose (sugar) levels will remain constant if you can eat something at least every three hours.  That way the food you eat throughout the day is continuously burnt off, and you won't get those slumps or spikes of energy at certain times of the day as your blood sugar adjusts.  You won't crave sugary or fatty foods to 'keep you going' and overall your emotions and general sense of well being will be better.

An example of a typical day might be:

• Breakfast - 7am
• Morning Tea Snack - 10am
• Lunch - 1pm
• Afternoon Tea Snack - 4pm
• Dinner - 7pm
• Supper Snack - 10pm

You would alter this schedule to fit in with your waking and sleeping times.  Eating at shorter intervals, for example, every two hours, will also work.  Note that this is different to 'grazing' throughout the day without any breaks.  You need to give your body time to process and burn the food you have eaten, before putting in more food. 

Can I Eat Snacks on a Diet?

Snacks can be part of a healthy diet. The way to ensure that you don't eat food that is high in sugar or fat is to understand portion sizes for both your snacks and your meals, and to plan to eat six times a day.

Just as there are many diets for you to follow for a variety of reasons, snacks can fall into many categories.  If snacks are healthy and part of your eating plan, they can help prevent blood glucose peaks and valleys, as well as overeating at mealtimes.  Boosting your energy levels before you feel flat should stop you reaching for those unhealthy snacks.