Reader\'s Digest AU NZ 03.2020

Snack

Your Way to Better

Health

Nibblingbetweenmealshashadbadpressin

recent years. In fact,snackingcan be good for you

BY Dawn Yanek

T

osnackornottosnack?

Thatisthequestion...for

doctors,fornutritionists,

andforyou,asyoutryto

decidewhattodoabout

yourgrumblingstomachwhenit’s

nowhereclosetomealtime.

Theshortanswer:havethesnack.

Snackinghasfallenoutoffavourin

certaindietingcircles,thanksinpart

tothepopularityofintermittentfast-

ing,inwhichyourestrictyourfood

intakeona periodicbasis.Somepeo-

pleinterpretthepaleodiet,inwhich

thediet-consciousattempttoimitate

thefoodhabitsofourhunter-gatherer

ancestors,asanti-snackingaswell.

Butmanymodern-daystudieshave

foundthatsnackingcanhavepositive

effectsonyourhealth, both physical

andmental.So,graba banana– ora

handfulofpeanuts– and read on.

WEIGHTLOSS

Cansnackinghelpyoudropa fewkilo-

grams?Yes,butnutritionists’insight

intowhatworkshaschanged.They

oncethoughtthateatingmorefre-

quentlycouldboostyourmetabolism

• yourbodywouldbeworkingmore
  oftentoburnkilojoules.Alas,studies
  havebeenmixedwhenitcomesto
  provingthattheory.
  Buta smartsnackcanpreventthe
  kindofunhealthybingeeatingthat
  comesfromhard-corehunger.“Your
  bodyisalwaystalkingtoyou– youjust
  havetolisten,”saysinternalandfunc-
  tionalmedicinespecialistDrRobert
  Graham. “So if you’re starting to feel PHOTOS: MAT THEW COHEN

66 March 2020

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