Guam - U.S.A.

75 % of men and women eat at least one snack a day

Munching on just one carrot will meet your Vitamin A needs for the whole day

Preschoolers get nearly one third of their energy from snacks

Television watching tends to increase snacking, especially on high-fat, high-calorie foods

For customized answers to your food and nutrition questions, call the Consumer Nutrition Hot Line at:

    (900) CALL-AN-RD
    (900) 225-5267

or write to:

The American Dietetic Association
216 West Jackson Blvd,
Chicago, IL  60606-6995
Phone: (312) 899-0040

Snacks can give you an energy boost to help fuel your body between meals. Despite the benefits that snacking can offer, many people think of snacks as something extra they shouldn't eat. Snacking can help or hurt a healthful diet, so learn how to snack the right way !

Snack myths
Suggestions for a better snack
Choose lower-fat snacks

Daily Food Guide

 

Here are five myths about snacking

Myth # 1 : Snacks are fattening. Fact: Eating a snack between meals can take the edge off hunger, which might otherwise lead to overeating. Of course, it all depends of the choice of snack foods.

Myth # 2 : Snacks spoil your appetite for meals Fact: Eating a small amount of food, such as an apple or half a turkey sandwich a few hours before a meal will not spoil your appetite, and keeps you from getting so hungry that you would be inclined to overeat at your next meal.

Myth # 3 : Snacking causes cavities Fact: While snacks may expose the teeth to food (and decay-producing bacteria) more often, choosing foods that are not sticky and brushing your teeth afterward help prevent cavities.

Myth # 4 : Snacking is the same as eating junk food Fact: Snacking on foods from the Daily Food Guide can help fill in the gaps in meals to complete a healthful diet.

Myth # 5 : Healthful snacking means I can never eat potato chips again Fact: It's possible to eat fun foods and still follow a low fat diet, but it requires little planning. Consider drinking nonfat milk instead of low-fat milk for example to make "room" for an extra teaspoon of fat.

Plan ahead so that you have the desired food at hand when you need it. Therefore, you will not be forced to choose from a limited selection in a vending machine or whatever you can find in your fridge.

Instead of munching absentmindedly, make snacking a conscious activity. Try eating snacks without doing something else such as watching TV. Otherwise you may easily overeat without realizing it.

Choose lower-fat snacks (see table below)

Choose nutrient-rich foods. These are foods that have the most nutrition, but are also low in fat. Examples can be found in the Daily Food Guide.

Be aware of hidden fat and sugar. Some snack foods sound nutritious but may contain more fat and sugar than you realize. Always check the food label and choose a lower-fat version if it's available.

Choose the following alternatives to common high fat snacks, and make sure they are ready to eat when you are !

Try :	Instead of :
Baked tortilla chips	Corn chips
Pretzels	Potato chips
Bagel with fat-free ricotta chesse or fruit preserves	Doughnut
Spiced applesauce	Apple pie
Nonfat frozen yogurt	Ice cream
Soft pretzel	Croissant
Fruit smoothie or nonfat yogurt shake	Milkshake
Salsa	Sour cream-based dip
Frozen juice bar	Ice cream bar
Gingersnaps or vanilla wafers	Butter cookies
Angel food cake	Pound cake