Health Coach Q & A
What do you think about Belvitta bars?
Belvita bars can be tasty and convenient. They can also help with portion control, since they’re packaged in smaller pouches within a larger, multi-serving box. They do have whole grains in them, so they are better for blood sugar than a cookie.
A single package (4 biscuits) has 200-230 calories, 10 grams of added sugars, and 3-4 grams of protein. These are similar numbers to values you’d see in cookies.
For a portable, convenient, and delicious alternative that has less sugar and more protein, consider graham crackers with 1 string cheese stick, or 1 slice of whole-grain bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
If you love Belvita bars and want to keep eating them, try eating just half a pack (2 biscuits) and pairing them with a source protein, like a hard-boiled egg, a low-fat string cheese stick, ½ cup of cottage cheese, or ½ ounce of nuts.
What about apples?
Apples can be great for snacks! A small apple has 80 calories, 0 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 304 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein. When you have apples for a snack, consider including some protein and/or healthy fat with it. Here are some examples of what you might pair with your apple. Each example has under 200 calories.
- 1.5 ounce low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
- ½ ounce unsalted almonds (about 12–14 nuts)
- ½ cup unsweetened plain Greek yogurt
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- ½ ounce walnut halves (about 7 whole walnuts)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter
- 1 ounce soy jerky
"Protein" has been popping up on many packages. its getting really tricky to pick the better snacks
You are right - food labels can be tricky! Many food companies put "High Protein" on the front of the box just to make you buy it. Here are a few tips.
- Check the serving size. A box of cereal might say, "10 grams of protein," but that might only be if you eat a huge bowl! If a serving size is very large, you might also be eating a lot of extra carbohydrates, sugar, and calories just to get that small bit of protein.
- Have a goal for your snack. For example, you might want to aim for 10-15 grams of protein. You might also want to have limits on calories or carbohydrates, like 200 calories or 30 grams of carbohydrates.
- Be a snack architect! Select foods that get you to those goals. For example, you could start with ½ cup of reduced-fat cottage cheese (13 grams of protein, 90 calories, and 10 grams of carbohydrates), and add a small apple (0 grams of protein, 80 calories, and 20 grams of carbohydrates) to achieve your goals.
So would it be healthy to cut out all carbs or just minimize carbs? Is cutting all carbs best?
Good question! It is actually impossible to eliminate all carbohydrates because many foods have them naturally. Foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and milk all have carbohydrates in them. These foods give your body essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that you need to stay healthy.
- Check with your doctor first. Before making any major changes to how you eat—like cutting way down on carbohydrates—it is very important to talk to your primary care doctor or a healthcare provider. They can help make sure your eating plan is safe for your body.
- Aim for healthy, consistent carbs. Instead of trying to eliminate carbs, it’s usually most sustainable to choose healthy carbohydrates that are high in fiber, like whole fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains. Having controlled amounts at most meals and snacks - instead of having a load at one meal or snack and having none at other meals or snacks - supports your body’s ability to use them well.
- Pair carbs with protein, fiber, or healthy fat to keep your energy and blood sugar steady. For example, pair an apple (carb) with peanut butter (protein/fat), or whole-grain crackers (carb) with string cheese (protein).
I read that eating between meals causes the insulin to spike and gets stored as fat. Is that incorrect?
That’s a good question. There’s some truth to it, but it’s not so simple as “eating between meals is bad.” Here’s an explanation.
Insulin helps move energy from your food into your cells so you can use it. Every time you eat food or drink a beverage with calories, your body releases insulin to help lower blood sugar after eating.
The bottom line for weight is that your weight depends on the total amount of energy (calories) you take in during the day - not just how many times you eat. If you eat fewer total calories than your body burns, you can lose weight even if you eat snacks.
Here’s what you might have heard: when you eat foods or drink beverages irregularly - say, eating between meals but not on a consistent schedule, or eating at times when you’re not hungry - you can have bigger blood sugar spikes and you need more insulin to handle them. Doing this too much over time can increase insulin resistance and lead to more fat storage as well as diabetes risk.
Here are some tips to make snacks work for you.
- If you choose to snack, snack on a consistent schedule each day to give your body and insulin response a chance to work at their best. If you choose not to snack, keep that consistent as much as possible, too.
- Eat only when you’re hungry.
- Pair high-fiber foods with high-protein foods to help prevent big insulin spikes. High-sugar and high-starch foods lead to bigger spikes.
What links should I know about?
Lark is here to help!
Lark Customer Support!
https://support.lark.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Here’s the worksheet mentioned in the webinar.
https://www.lark.com/resources/printable-healthy-snack-list
Facebook page for DPP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/larkdpp
Lark blog
Lark recipes
https://www.lark.com/resource-type/recipe
Email a Lark coach with questions or to make an appointment
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=21319234
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