Snacking habits

Snacking habits

The term snack often means a food which is eaten between meals. Snacking can mean different things to different people, from a piece of fruit to a cereal bar to a sandwich. Nutrition survey results reveal 36% - 55% of adults eat food on five or more occasions throughout the day, suggesting snacking is common amongst many adults. This figure is higher for children and teenagers with 60-90% eating five or more times per day.
Nutritious snacks

Nutrition snacking means choosing snacks that are consistent with Australin dietary guidelines and provide essential nutrients.

Nutritious snack ideas for children
· Cereal or breakfast bars
· Breakfast cereal (dry or with milk)
· Muesli bars or muesli slices (preferably less than 10% fat)
· Fresh fruit chopped into pieces
· Raw carrot, chopped into pieces
· Sultanas and other dried fruit
· Bread or toasted muffins
· Cheese with crackers or crispbread
· Low fat Yoghurt
· Fruit Smoothie

Nutritious snack ideas for adults
· Toasted muffins or fruit bread
· Breakfast cereals – (dry or with milk)
· Cereal or breakfast bars
· Muesli bars or muesli slices (preferably less than 10% fat)
· Crispbread or crackers with low fat cheese and tomato
· Salads or sliced raw vegetables with hommus
· Fresh or canned fruit
· Low fat yoghurt
· 30g of raw and unsalted nuts

Tips for healthy snacking
· Plan your snacks – keep healthy snacks on hand at work.
· Choose lower fat options for regular snacks such as breakfast cereal (dry or with milk) instead of chips, cereal bars instead of chocolate biscuits, ice-blocks instead of ice-cream and low fat muesli slices instead of cake.
· Look for grain or fruit based snacks which are high in carbohydrates and lower in fat.
· Take yoghurt, milk, sandwiches and salads to work or school in an insulated bag, especially on hot summer days.
· Try different ways of having fruit eg. Frozen on hot day, or whipped into a smoothie with low-fat milk.

Medical research acknowledges that eight glyconutrient sugars are needed at the cellular level for optimum immune system function. Considering that six of these glyconutrients are often lacking in modern diets, Mannatech sought new and better sources of the nutrients. The effort culminated in the Ambrotose complex. Twenty patents – including one from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – have been issued to Mannatech for technology related to the Ambrotose complex.