08 February,2012 03:00 PM IST | | AFP
According to the results of a market research survey, consumers in the US say it's hard to find healthy snacks around them.
A month into 2012, when resolutions begin to dissolve and fade, a new Mintel survey released last week found that almost half, or 46 percent, of respondents said it's difficult to find a healthy snack when hunger pangs strike, be it from vending machines or on-the-go locations.
Another 16 percent of respondents also said they believe it takes more time to prepare healthy snacks than guiltier pleasures.
To satisfy the 3 pm munchies, the Mayo Clinic suggests reaching for snacks that clock in at about a hundred calories or less.
Not surprisingly, the best options are fruits and vegetables, whole grain snacks like crackers and crispbreads, nuts and seeds and low-fat dairy products like cheese and yogurt.
But experts caution that portion control is also important, as what's intended to be a light snack can in fact become nearly half a day's worth of calories.
For example, a handful of almonds, equal to about 14 nuts, contains 100 calories. But eat a cup's worth, and that jumps to 800 calories.
A 100-calorie snack can also be one cup of sliced bananas or raspberries, two cups of carrots or 2 tbsp. of peanut butter.
While, for the most part, Mintel respondents were also able to identify fruits, vegetables and nuts as healthy snack options, a surprising percentage of people also rated ice cream (12 percent) and cookies (9 percent) as healthy foods.
In a year-long study published in December, researchers found that women dieters who indulged in a mid-morning snack lost less weight compared to women who abstained.
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