How does our desire to avoid processed foods square with our out-of-control snacking habits?
How does our desire to avoid processed foods square with our out-of-control snacking habits?
References:
2024 Food & Health Survey - International Food Information Council
Snacking: A cause for concern - ScienceDirect
Snack Food, Satiety, and Weight - PubMed (nih.gov)
Hello and welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show where we take a closer look at nutrition trends, research, and headlines so that you can make more informed decisions about what you eat. I’m your host, Monica Reinagel, and today I want to talk about an interesting paradox revealed by a recent survey of consumer attitudes on food and nutrition, conducted by the International Food Information Council, an organization that regularly takes the pulse of consumers on various issues relating to food, diet and health.
Their most recent survey was just published, and this one explored a wide range of topics, including the impacts of stress on food choices, the influence of social media on nutrition decisions, snacking trends, beliefs about added sugars, and the degree of confidence that consumers feel in the safety of our food supply.
I’ll be talking about more of these findings in future episodes. But today, I want to zero in on an apparent contradiction revealed by the survey. Three-quarters of Americans reported snacking at least once a day. And two-thirds said they are trying to avoid processed foods. But what are they snacking on? Mostly processed foods. So, what’s the disconnect here?
First, let’s take a look at how and why we are snacking.
Getting hungry between meals is one reason people snack. But a lot of snacking is simply due to habit. We snack because we’re bored, or we need a break from whatever we’re doing. Often, we are in the habit of snacking at particular times of day, whether or not we’re hungry. And sometimes, it’s simply a crime of opportunity. We see something to eat, and so we eat it.
According to various studies, snacks can account for 20-25% of our daily energy intake. Interestingly, some estimates suggest that the majority of Americans are also eating 20-25% more calories than they would need in order to maintain a healthy body weight. Hmmmm…..
Now, of course, it would be possible to snack without exceeding our calorie budget, by adjusting the size of our meals to compensate for our snacking patterns. We also need to pay attention to portion sizes. However, this has become increasingly challenging, as package sizes for snack foods have grown steadily over the years. These days, foods like chips or pretzels or candy (which are among the most popular snack choices) typically contain two to four servings in a package. However, we are still treating those packages as single servings. As a result, snacking may be adding a lot more calories to our diet than we think.
And, despite our stated desire and intention to avoid processed foods, they remain the most popular snack choices. Although some report choosing healthier snack options like nuts, fruit, vegetables, these are in the minority.
Part of this is no doubt driven by convenience. Packaged snack foods are available everywhere (and I mean everywhere), so they don’t require any advanced planning or preparation. They’re relatively cheap. You don’t need a refrigerator, the way you might if you want to snack on string cheese, yogurt, or raw vegetables and hummus. You don’t need any utensils, the way you might if you’re snacking on apples and peanut butter.
And, let’s not overlook the fact that the kinds of processed snacks that many of us prefer aren't just convenient, they're also highly palatable. They frequently feature a combination of sugar, salt, and fat that the reward centers in our brains find irresistable. If you’re a chip lover trying to transition to raw veggies as your afternoon snack, or a candy lover trying to switch to fresh fruit, it doesn’t feel like a fair fight. At least, not at first.
So, what’s our best move here? Should we try to stop snacking altogether? Or should we focus on upgrading the quality of our snacks?
I think the answer is a bit of both. If you are snacking three or more times a day, chances are pretty good that these snacks are contributing more calories than you need to maintain a healthy body weight. So one goal might be to reduce the number of between meal snacks to just 1 or 2 per day. If your schedule is such that you have a long time between meals and you need a small snack to bridge that gap, that would probably be one to make room for.
If, on the other hand, you find yourself snacking more out of a desire for entertainment, stimulation, or simply out of habit, you might want to look for other ways to boost your energy, take a break, or give yourself a small treat.
Secondly, if snacks are going to be contributing 20-25% of our calories, they need to be pulling their weight, nutritionally. We cannot afford to be throwing away a quarter of our food intake on empty calories! And clearly, there’s an opportunity for us to upgrade the quality of our snacks.
But here we need to distinguish between snacks as something we eat between our primary meals, and snacks as a certain type of food. We don't necessarily need to snack on so-called snack foods.
Replacing chips or cookies with snacks that incorporate fruits, vegetables, cheese, hummus, yogurt, or nuts could have a meaningful positive impact on our overall nutrient intakes and dietary quality.
These fresh or minimally processed foods are also likely to be more satiating and lower in calories–so they can support our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight. And many are available in convenient, single-serving packages.
When it comes to chips, snack mixes, or bars, look for those that offer more nutritional bang for the buck. Compare labels to identify the ones that have a bit more fiber or protein, and are lower in added sugar or calories. (While you’re at it, make sure to notice how many servings are in that package.) Look for options made with whole grains, or that are baked or air-fried. Keeping a stash of healthier options in your desk or bag may make it easier to resist the temptation of vending machines or drive-throughs.
Even after giving your snacks a nutritional upgrade, it’s still important to be mindful of portion sizes. And if snacks are a regular part of your daily meal plan, you’ll also want to adjust the size of your main meals to compensate for those additional eating occasions.
Finally, I think the number of people saying that they avoid processed foods (even though they don’t seem to actually be doing that) definitely reflects the current obsession with food processing as the root of all evil–which I don’t believe it is. Contrary to a lot of hysterical reporting, I don’t think that the degree of processing is a reliable way to categorize or choose foods.
Yes, there are a lot of highly-processed snack foods that are extremely nutrient-poor and may contribute to excess intakes of calories, fat, sodium, and added sugars. However, there are also processed foods (and even ultra-processed foods) that can play a very positive role in overall dietary quality and nutrient intakes. And you know what? I trust your ability to tell the difference.
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