It's been something of a truism for years that snacking is bad for us, especially with obesity having become the worlds largest health concern.
But, things are never really that simple, and although in some ways this may sound obvious it's not the snacking that's bad, but the snacks. In fact most athletes will "snack" a protein shake is a snack, in terms of it being a few 100 calories and not a meal.
And a recent large scale study confirms this.
The new study suggests that snacking might not be as harmful as once thought. Researchers in the UK analyzed snacking habits in 854 participants from the ZOE PREDICT 1 study, focusing on how frequency, quality, and timing of snacks affect health. Contrary to popular belief, they found that snacking, even multiple times a day, didn’t correlate with negative impacts on heart health markers like cholesterol or blood sugar. Instead, snack quality played a key role.
High-quality snacks, such as fruits, nuts, and whole grains, were linked to better blood lipid profiles, insulin responses, and reduced hunger. Participants who consistently chose nutritious snacks had lower body weight and healthier BMIs than those who snacked on low-quality options. Additionally, those who snacked late in the evening showed slightly elevated blood sugar markers, possibly due to shorter fasting periods overnight.
This study challenges the traditional view that snacking is inherently bad for health. Instead, it suggests that snacking on nutritious foods, especially earlier in the day, can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. The findings indicate that public health recommendations should focus on snack quality and timing rather than eliminating snacks altogether.
Ultimately snacking isn't bad, high calorie processed foods are, especially if they put you into a caloric surplus and lead to unwanted weight gain.
Reference
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-023-03241-6