Every time you reach out for that pack of processed snacks at a baker, have you wondered what lay beyond the flavours, taste and attractive packaging? Yes, we are talking about the nutrient information labels that are displayed on the back of every pack.
These are the recommended intake (per day) per category:
- Energy – 2200 to 2400 kcal for male, 2000 to 2200 kcal for female
- Carbohydrates – 225 to 325g
- Total Fat – 44 to 78g
- Saturated Fat – 7 to 16g
Now Let us take a look at some of the popular snacks available in our stores and their nutrition content and how it compares against your daily requirement:
(All snacks measured in 100g serving)
In short, a 100g of any of the above favourite snacks would cover a whopping 25% of your daily calorie requirements in one go! Add to that a drink of aerated beverage of 375 ml to wash that down sets you back by 161 kcal. So a drink and snacks can take care of 33% of your daily calorie requirements while not accounting for vital minerals and vitamins that are required as well.
Other key things to watch out for are Saturated Fatty Acids and Trans Fats. Saturated fatty acids are thought to add to the bad LDL cholesterol and the daily intake recommendation is around 7 to 16g. Most of the snacks we have listed here already cross or come close to fulfilling those requirements in just a 100g serving.
Trans Fats on the other hand is liquid fat converted to solid, semi-solid fat through hydrogenation, which helps in longer shelf life and is noted to be bad for heart. Trans Fat is not a naturally occurring substance in natural food and needs to be completely avoided.
The best way for you to avoid stepping into diabetes is to have a proper balanced diet that would spread your calorie requirements in filling wholesome meals that include generous portions of leafy vegetables to cover your plate. Eating your veggies raw can also help in stopping loss of vital nutrients lost during cooking.
So next time you reach for that snack, do a simple mental math and take an informed choice!
Eat right, Stay healthy, Live Happy!
SugarFree Café | HealthPlix Blog 