We’re used to thinking of snacks as something for children. Pediatricians have insisted so much on their importance in ensuring adequate energy intake for children that we would never forget to put a snack box in their schoolbags. However, as we grow older, we end up eliminating this practice from our own diets, even though our afternoons are certainly no less demanding than when we were children. In reality, reviving the habit of that snack (and the break it gives you) is a choice that can prove beneficial not only from a nutritional standpoint but also for mental wellbeing. Below, we explain the benefits of this habit, how to practice it to make it truly healthy (even as an alternative to dinner if you practice intermittent fasting ) and some delicious suggestions.
1. It’s a rewarding break
The Latin word for sacking, “merenda,” literally means “something deserved.” It was originally a smaller meal reserved for those who had completed a task or had a demanding day. In several historical accounts, we find this term referring to the light ration that Roman soldiers received after training or service; a practice that served as a reward and a means of energy recovery. Today, behavioral science is moving in the same direction with reward systems being studied by psychology and neuroscience demonstrating that introducing short breaks improves motivation, reduces fatigue and encourages adherence to healthy routines.
An apple might remind your mind to pause: an act of self-care that acknowledges the work you’ve done. A simple walnut is a source of immediate energy that keeps your brain alert. Whole-grain toast with avocado and seeds isn’t just a boost of fibre and micronutrients, it’s what will keep you from ending the day feeling deprived.
2. Reduces anxiety and mental fatigue
In a world plagued by obesity, (WHO data for 2022 indicated more than 1 billion cases worldwide, with 43% of the adult population overweight) it may seem counterintuitive to add more food in the day. But far from being a pointless indulgence, snacking can become an effective tool for reducing the internal tension associated with pent-up hunger. Sometimes, when going for several hours without food after a large meal, the body generates waves of appetite that activate the brain’s reward centers and trigger impulsive eating behaviors, including snacking on ultra-processed foods and feeling restless until dinner. A nutritious snack bridges the gap between lunch and dinner, keeps anxiety at bay, stabilises glucose levels and reduces mental fatigue.
3. Maintains stable energy levels
Glucose stability affects our daily rhythm more than we think, especially with increasingly long workdays that require energy. Glucose comes primarily from foods rich in quality carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, legumes, oats, whole-grain bread, nuts and serves as direct fuel for the brain. When too many hours have passed since the last meal, glucose levels drop and the recognisable signs of an energy crash appear: irritability, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking and increased vulnerability to stress. A balanced snack helps keep the curve stable and avoid those slumps that make us feel like we can’t cope when we need to be giving our best.
4. Prevents those midnight hunger pangs
Skipping meals on a busy day can lead to bingeing at night. This is where mini snack pouches can come in clutch. It doesn’t have to be something that requires a lot of effort; a cucumber, organic granola, overnight oats, veggie sticks with hummus, a multigrain peanut butter sandwich can all save you from losing your mind, as well as your metabolic balance (and you scarf them down easily without worrying about work getting delayed.)
The snack-dinner solution (if you want to practice intermittent fasting)
Intermittent fasting is based on the theory that going as many hours as possible without eating anything between meals gives the body a reasonable amount of time to reset without active digestion. The most common approach is to eat dinner early or breakfast late (or not at all), which makes things easier since sleep hours are added to the total count. The most recent studies on this type of food restriction agree that the effects begin to manifest once a minimum window of 12-14 hours is exceeded. Below this threshold, the metabolic response is much more limited and the same changes in appetite regulation, energy or certain health markers are not observed. If you make your snack your last meal of the day, you will be able to comfortably respect the 12-14 hour window.
However, if you want to avoid suffering from hunger in the morning, your snack must be nutritionally complete, like a dinner. If you are not very clear about what that snack-dinner should be like, the most useful reference is the Harvard Plate, a guide created by experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Its proposal does not dictate calories or rigid portions, but an easy-to-visualise structure: half of the plate should be made up of fresh fruits and vegetables (better if they are seasonal), a quarter by quality protein like fish, chicken, eggs, tofu and the last quarter by whole-grain carbohydrates, such as quinoa, brown rice or 100% whole-grain bread. A small amount of healthy fats, preferably olive oil can be added to this and water is essential. This composition not only balances satiety and stabilises energy, but also avoids heavy digestion and favours a more restful night.
Do I need a snack? How can I tell?
If you’re unsure whether to snack or not, the answer lies not so much in rules as in what your body dictates. Research on intuitive eating agrees on one essential point: when you pay attention to hunger and satiety cues (the real ones, not those resulting from stress or fatigue) your nutritional decisions become more balanced and less impulsive. If you feel irritable, tend to lose concentration, feel an inexplicable emptiness or the urge to eat the first thing you find, it’s not a lack of willpower, but suppressed hunger. On the other hand, if you get to the evening with sustained energy, without hearing that inner voice calling for help, you may not need to eat at all. The key is to distinguish between necessity and pure impulse. Listening to yourself, truly listening, is what our body asks us to do.
What time should I have a snack?
As for when we should have a snack, the general rule of thumb is to eat it at least two hours after the previous meal and two hours before the next , so as to maintain stable energy levels. Therefore, ideally, it should be between 4 and 5pm. If the snack replaces dinner, the timing will depend on the time of breakfast the following morning, keeping in mind that, as we’ve mentioned, intermittent fasting requires a minimum interval of 12-14 hours between meals to be effective.
5 examples of healthy snacks
1. Plain yogurt with homemade applesauce and walnuts
A base of plain unsweetened yogurt, two tablespoons of homemade compote (cooked apple with a touch of cinnamon) and a small handful of walnuts. It provides protein, fibre and healthy fats, without feeling heavy.
2. Whole wheat toast with ricotta, tomato and olive oil
A lightly toasted whole wheat slice, ricotta or cottage cheese, thin slices of tomato and a drizzle of olive oil. Satisfying and ideal for endless days.
3. Hummus with cut vegetables
Homemade hummus (pre-prepared with chickpeas, lemon, tahini and olive oil) accompanied by carrot, celery or cucumber sticks. It provides fibre, vegetable protein and a lot of stability in the glucose curve.
4. Whole-grain bread with almond butter and banana slices
This snack combines complex carbohydrates with healthy fats and is perfect if you need your brain most alert in critical stretches of the afternoon.
5. Oatmeal, pure cocoa and date energy balls
They are made by mixing oatmeal, crushed dates, pure cocoa and a touch of nut butter. Form into small balls and store in the refrigerator. They offer extra energy without added sugar but their caloric content is high, so the key is in the quantity.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: vogue.in
