Smart Snacking

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Many of you have started making a habit of reading nutrition labels and looking for higher fiber foods. While this is a great start to a healthier lifestyle, you may also want to consider where that fiber comes from.

A study was done where a group of women were given 200-calories worth of snacks daily for 10 weeks. The snack consisted of apples, pears or high-fiber oatmeal cookies with each snack providing a total of 6 g fiber.

Those who ate the produce snacks lost an average of 2 pounds, while the cookie group gained 2 pounds. The researchers conclude that it is not just fiber but also things like the higher water content of fruits and the lower energy-density (i.e. more food for the same number of calories) that helped the fruit group feel more satisfied and, therefore, eat less throughout the day.

Message of the week: Aim for natural sources of fiber in your diet.

Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!