3 good reasons to lose the snacking habit

When you are quitting an addictive substance like sugar, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine etc I always advise that, for the first month or so, you have fairly substantial snacks between meals to support dysregulated blood sugar levels and cravings.

BUT:  it’s not advisable to keep on snacking long term, especially as we head into peri- and menopause.

Here are 3 good reasons why it’s a good idea to step away from the snacks:

1.      To support gut function:  The migrating motor complex (MMC) sweeps undigested food from our meals and snacks from our stomach and small intestine to the large intestine and beyond. But this function only kicks in during periods of fasting, which is bad news if you snack throughout the day. Snacking interrupts the optimal function of the MMC, meaning that residual undigested food may get left behind and begin to ferment. Over time, this can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine which can lead to bloating, wind and other IBS symptoms. For more gut tips head over to my blog here.

 2.      To support insulin sensitivity: As we age and enter peri- and menopause, our cells become more insulin resistant. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body absorb glucose and keeps blood sugar levels balanced - and insulin resistance makes it harder for the body’s cells to take in glucose. Over time, insulin resistance can increases the risk for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and a host of other serious health problems, including heart attacks, strokes and cancer. All foods can raise insulin and, if you are eating several times a day, your pancreas is producing insulin several times a day. Because the body is continually trying to achieve homeostasis, if it is exposed to a prolonged stimulus (e.g. insulin), the body will try to balance it out by developing a resistance.

Having decent breaks between eating lowers insulin levels, and supports cell insulin sensitivity and blood sugar balance. For more  information about blood sugar balance, head over to my blog here.

3.      To support weight management: Often those snacks are energy-dense and nutrient-poor, and contain calories that we don’t need. Because often when we snack it’s not because we are hungry - it’s habit, it’s a treat, we are tired, we are thirsty, maybe we are bored.

Try to understand why you are snacking. Once you understand what’s behind your snacking habit, then you can introduce some changes. Try going for a short walk instead at your usual snack time, or phone a friend, or do some stretching or star jumps. If you have a rebounder, do some bouncing – it’s guaranteed to lift your mood and increase your energy levels way better than a chocolate biscuit would.

If you are snacking because you are hungry, it may be an indication that you aren’t including sufficient macronutrients in your main meals, i.e. a balance of proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. We should be eating enough during our main meals to keep us from being hungry for the next 4-5 hours, at least.

If you need a snack, an apple and nut butter is a great choice. It’s a nourishing, blood sugar-balancing combination of protein, healthy fats and complex carbs.

Of course, we are all different and you may find that you operate better on four or five small meals a day. If you feel you need to snack then try to have healthy snacks that nourish you and won’t spike your blood sugar levels, e.g.

• yoghurt, mixed nuts and berries

• apple wedges and nut butter

• veg sticks with hummus

• full fat cream cheese and tomato slices on a couple of oatcakes

• boiled egg and handful of cherry tomatoes

• a small mug of vegetable and lentil soup

• a smoothie with a scoop of protein powder.

So, in summary, try to stick to the natural periods of fasting between meals and make the overnight fasting period at least 12 hours (e.g dinner at 7.00 pm and breakfast at 7.00 am). In that way you are supporting a healthy digestive system, insulin sensitivity, and weight management.

If you would like to optimise your nutrition to support your health during peri- and menopause, then you can arrange a discovery call with me below.