3 healthy snacks a dietitian eats that are tasty alternatives to ultraprocessed foods
Most people in the US snack, but many snack foods are ultraprocessed.
Ultraprocessed foods have been linked to health conditions like cancer.
A dietitian shares four healthy, tasty snacks she likes instead of ultraprocessed foods.
A dietitian shared three healthy snacks she enjoys as tasty alternatives to ultraprocessed foods with Business Insider.
Research suggests about 20% of the calories Americans consume come from snacks and that 90% eat between one and three snacks each day. Snacks are often ultraprocessed, meaning they're made using methods and ingredients that you can't easily recreate at home. These foods have been linked to conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, leading experts to urge people to cut down as much as possible.
A New York registered dietitian, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, said that ultraprocessed foods are "convenient, cheap, and super common" and that eating them occasionally is "inevitable." But when it comes to satisfying cravings for ultraprocessed snacks, it's up to us as consumers to make informed choices, she said.
Here are some of her favorite snack swaps that help her avoid ultraprocessed foods.
Granola bars
Store-bought granola bars are sometimes marketed as healthy but often contain added sugar and preservatives.
Beckerman recommended Kate's Real Food's peanut-butter and dark-chocolate bars instead. They are made from whole foods and contain fiber from dried fruit, oats, rice crisps, and flaxseed, which is important for digestion and gut health.
Taylor Grasso, another registered dietitian, previously told BI that granola bars tend to be mostly carbohydrates, so eating them with a source of protein — such as Greek yogurt — can help stabilize blood-sugar levels and keep you feeling satisfied for longer.
Chocolate bars
Beckerman likes Nelly's Organics chocolate bars because they have a short ingredient list, meaning they contain fewer additives than ultraprocessed chocolate bars.
They also contain potassium, which can help prevent high blood pressure, she said. This is because it can reduce the effects of sodium, according to the American Heart Association.
Candy
Justin's chocolate candy pieces "reign supreme" over other candies, Beckerman said.
"Because these chocolate candy pieces are made from peanuts, they contain heart-healthy fats, making them an actually satisfying and filling treat unlike most other chocolate candies out there," she said.
The candy pieces are made with dark chocolate, which contains antioxidants that can help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
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