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According to the latest studies, as many as 94% of Americans indulge in at least one snack a day. From crisps to chocolate bars and all of the other naughty but nice treats out there, many of us are so used to this behavior that we don’t even think twice about keeping snack foods to hand on the sofa, or even at our desks. Worse, the busier that all of us get, the more guilty we are of reaching for these quick-fix foods over having to make a meal, or even simply stepping away and buying ourselves something a little healthier.
This is leading to the emergence of what experts have termed ‘snack culture’, and this cultural shift poses a pressing and quickly escalating risk to our health. Of course, there is an exception to this rule when it comes to healthy snacking, or homemade snack recipes for things like energy balls, granola bowls, etc. Still, with many of us continuing to reach for the bad stuff, our bodies are increasingly feeling the strain, and we’re going to consider how by looking at precisely what happens when you succumb to unhealthy snacking.
Increased caloric intake
Even if it means that you’re skipping meals, the high-caloric content of most grab-and-go snack foods means that succumbing to this way of eating can lead to an increased daily caloric intake overall, and some unpleasant side effects like weight gain as a result. In particular, experts express concerns regarding snack foods that see us exceeding our daily caloric needs without necessarily providing us with any nutritional benefit, leaving us effectively running on empty, yet continuing to gain weight as we do so. Admittedly, experts don’t recommend cutting out snacks altogether due to the risk that we’ll overeat during meal times if we let ourselves run on empty, but keeping your calories and your weight in check even as you snack is dependent on your ability to choose well-rounded, reasonable snack foods that provide complex carbs, healthy fats, fiber, and other crucial considerations to ensure the fuel that you need without risking your body in the process.
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Higher risk of health complaints
The regular consumption of unhealthy snack foods also has links with a wide range of resulting health complaints. The most obvious of these is type 2 diabetes which is most often caused by poor eating choices including high-sugar snacks like chocolate and can also lead to secondary health complaints including vision problems, kidney disease, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis to name just a few. Poor snacking has also been found to pose problems for heart health, with processed foods like cookies and candy thought to increase our risks of heart disease by as much as 10% every decade. Meanwhile, experts believe that irregular eating schedules and spending time in a constant grazing state can leave the body to experience continued inflammation, thus putting a massive strain on our immune systems, and making us far more susceptible to serious bouts of even minor illnesses. And, of course, it should go without saying that continual exposure to sugary foods can also see us more susceptible to painful and sometimes extreme dental problems, even if we follow recommendations to brush twice a day.
Killing your appetite before mealtimes
Snacking that takes place too close to mealtimes, or that involves highly fatty, filling foods, can also kill our appetites before we sit down at the table each day. Given that our meals should be our main source of nutrition and calories, this is a significant problem that can see us missing out on the stuff we need in place of things that we definitely don’t. If our meals regularly end up going to waste, there’s also a risk that we’ll stop cooking fresh foods altogether in place of the snacks that at least feel like they’re serving us better. All of which can lead to an escalating spiral of yet more snacking. While we’ve already discussed the benefits of healthy snacking for subsistence, then, even beneficial snack options like fresh fruit, nuts, etc. should always be consumed in mind when our mealtimes are, and whether or not we’ll really be hungry by that point. In fact, to be beneficial at all, snacking should be approached as a form of tiding ourselves over, rather than ever risking missing all-important meals.
Reduced physical activity
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While it’s a less obvious side effect, reduced physical activity due to the convenience of snack foods that we can take anywhere with us is also deserving of its own mention here. This is especially true within the workplace, where individuals who work in offices, in particular, can be guilty of sticking to their desks all day when they have a decent snack stockpile to tide them over. Even at home, not having to leave the sofa thanks to having snacks ready to hand can do damage if we sit down the second we get home. By comparison, either enjoying more complex snacks that you need to put together in the moment (e.g. energy balls, fresh fruit salads, etc.) or making an effort to have something more substantial at meal times gives you a valid reason to get up and get going. It might seem like a small thing compared to, say, specified exercise efforts, but studies have continually shown that the simple act of getting up from our desks more often can reduce the risks of issues like diabetes and cancer, release more endorphins, and also ensure that we’re hitting the refresh button for better results later on.
A final word
You’re certainly not alone if you feel lost in snacking culture right now, but it is down to you to make positive improvements for a healthier lifestyle later. Whether you have a weak spot for workplace snacks or just love that pack of crisps on the sofa an evening, your body certainly deserves better. So, ditch the snacks (or at least the unhealthy ones!) and let the benefits of doing so speak for themselves.
