Healthy way of consuming packaged snacks & bull; hello healthy

Salty snacks or snacks in the form of potato chips and so on, or commonly generalized as "Chiki" with various brands and flavors, are one of the snacks that are cheap, delicious, and widely available in various small stalls, convenience stores, to supermarkets. This snack is indeed very suitable to be enjoyed while watching, when you want to snack, or are hanging out with friends or family.

Its salty taste makes everyone who eats it addicted. Especially small children, who would really like this snack. However, consuming too many of these snacks can have a negative impact on health.

Why are these snacks bad for health?

According to Nielsen's research in 2014 on snacks around the world, it was found that the total sales of snacks around the world continued to increase by 2% from year to year. Women are the most frequent snackers compared to men.

1. Trigger weight gain

Packaged snacks have a delicious taste and are liked by everyone from all walks of life. However, be careful if you eat this snack too often every day. Snacks contain lots of calories but zero nutrients, so eating too many of them can lead to weight gain. A study published by The New England Journal of Medicine 2011 showed that consuming 1 ounce of potato chips per day led to an average weight gain of 0.8 kg over four years.

2. High in sodium

Apart from being high in calories, packaged snacks are also high in sodium. High intake of sodium can cause an increase in blood pressure, which can lead to stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and kidney disease. Snacks in the form of potato chips generally contain 120-180 milligrams of sodium per ounce. One packet of potato chip snacks usually contains more than an ounce, so many people consume more sodium than they think when eating these snacks. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans In 2010, you should limit your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day, while individuals over 50, people with high blood pressure, kidney disease, and diabetes should not consume more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

3. High in fat and cholesterol

Packaged snacks also generally contain high cholesterol because of the amount and type of fat contained in them. Generally, snacks such as potato chips undergo a frying process that produces trans fats. In addition, the oil used for frying chips is generally a type of saturated fat. Both types of fat greatly contribute to high cholesterol levels in the blood. A study published in the journal Circulation 2007 showed that high levels of trans fats in the bloodstream are associated with high LDL cholesterol levels and an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

4. Potential to make you malnourished

Eating snacks every day can also replace your diet. If you eat too often zero nutrient snacks every day, what is feared is that you will be deficient in important nutrients found in various types of food because you skip eating nutritious foods. Packaged snacks usually contain a small amount of vitamins and minerals needed by the body.

What is a healthier way if we like to snack on packaged snacks?

This savory snack is indeed very delicious to enjoy and makes you addicted to eating it all the time. However, behind the delicious taste, packaged snacks have a negative impact on health if consumed in excess. Therefore, we must be smart in consuming snacks.

1. Read the nutritional content in the package

When buying snacks, you should pay attention to the nutritional content in them. This can be seen in the "Nutrition Facts" or information on the nutritional value contained in each snack package. In this nutritional information, you must pay attention to how many servings are in a pack of snacks, what is the total energy content, sodium or sodium, and total fat.

In a large snack package, there is usually more than one serving size, so the calorie content and other nutrients must be multiplied by the serving size if you finish a large pack of these snacks. For example, in one snack pack has a total energy content of 110 calories, 6 grams of total fat, and 70 mg of sodium per serving, and one snack pack consists of 3 serving portions. So if you spend one packet of these snacks you actually consume 330 calories of total energy, 18 grams of total fat, and 210 mg of sodium (multiplied by 3 servings).

2. Do not consume more than the maximum limit

Sometimes you may not realize that you've been eating snacks with that much nutritional content. You must really pay attention to the nutritional value information on the packaging. Limit your snack consumption so that you don't get the negative impact of eating snacks. We recommend that you limit your snack consumption to a total energy limit of no more than 200 calories per day, total fat no more than 35% of your calorie needs per day, and sodium not more than 230 mg per day (see how much total energy content, total fat, and sodium in a packet of snacks that you eat on the nutritional value information on the packaging).

3. Don't spend it all at once

You can eat a packet of snacks in two or three meals according to serving size. Or, if you have to finish a pack, make sure you divide it evenly with friends or relatives so you don't finish it alone.

4. Balance with other snacks

Limit consumption of snacks that are high in energy, fat, and sodium, and balance them with other healthy foods that are rich in nutrients. You can eat healthier snacks such as fruit, yogurt, or cakes.