Is snackification on your palate?

Snackification can be good, but the composition and time interval of the meal is very important, writes Minal Shah

Eating trends have changed tremendously. Earlier, three major meals and one or two snacks were the most commonly followed food habits. Today, with a change in lifestyle and work patterns, food trends are growing towards more and more snacks replacing traditional meals,especially breakfast and lunch, with many small snacks through the day.

Snackification may not be necessarily bad and depends on the choices that are made with the nutrition-quotient in mind as this can actually improve our eating habits. Rather than having calorie dense meals, snackification allows us to have smaller but nutritionally rich snacks through the day.

An awareness of healthy vs unhealthy food is increasing. The demand for healthy eating options has encouraged food manufacturing units, supermarkets and fast food joints to invent and ensure availability of such options. It is however important to remember a few points while making snack choices:

Ensure you have adequate protein intake in every meal that you opt for like yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus, nuts and seeds, boiled eggs, fish, chicken, etc.

Include fresh cut and seasonal fruits and salads.

Opt for low sugar energy/protein bars/biscuits.

Opt for more liquids that are low in sugar like buttermilk, lemon juice, soups, coconut water, fruit milkshakes, etc.

Indian snacks also have healthy options like khaman dhokla, khandvi, khakra, puffed cereal, chikki, frankie, ragda patties, dosa, uttapam, etc.

(The author is senior nutrition therapist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund)