Have you ever thought of sitting at your desk and eating a ‘healthy snack’ just to discover it had all types of hidden sugars and bad fats instead? You are not the only one.
Someone rightly said that excessive consumption of anything can have negative consequences.
Remember, when calories burned are more than calories consumed then only you lose weight. therefore, counting your food calories should be an essential part of your journey towards weight loss.
Regardless of the type, whether sweet or savoury, let’s talk about snacks that derail your health goals and also increase your sugar intake.
1. Bakery Cookies & Muffins
Indeed, your mouth waters when you see those bakery cookies or muffins. But trust me, they aren’t the kind of food that would do any favour to your body. These foods have a lot of sugar, fats and refined carbs. They can cause a fast jump in your blood glucose, making you feel tired and then you crave sweet foods. It is crucial to recognize them as a momentary and routine energy boost, keeping in mind that there are healthier alternatives for your body.
2. Dry Fruits
Dried fruit is a handy and tasty snack – it’s like a natural candy packed with concentrated natural sugars, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. But here’s the catch: the making of dry fruits is the removal of water from the fruit, so the sugar becomes more intense compared to fresh fruit. For example, just 100 grams of peanuts can contribute 567 calories, while 50 grams of cashew nuts (kaju) pack about 280 calories. Having a bit of dried fruit here and there is cool because it’s a healthy choice. However, if you eat a ton, you are basically loading up on extra sugar, which might lead to putting on some weight.
3. Candy Bars
Candy bars can give you instant energy, but they are not great for your health. The sugar in these bars can make your energy levels crash which makes you feel tired and want more. They lack important vitamins and essential fats. Candy bars are also packed with unhealthy sugar and carbs, which can raise the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. You can choose better options like dark chocolate with lots of cocoa or fresh fruit with nut butter. These snacks taste good and there are no negative effects of these bars
4. Potato Chips
The potato chips that you grab at your desk might taste good but are not great for your health. They have a bunch of bad fats from being deep-fried, loads of salt that can make you feel puffy, and they don’t really have much good stuff for your body. Snack on baked kale chips, homemade veggie chips, or air-popped popcorn instead. They still give you that satisfying crunch without the not-so-healthy things in potato chips, so you can enjoy your snack without feeling guilty.
5. Pancakes
Pancakes taste good, but they’re not the healthiest. They have lots of carbs that can affect your blood sugar and extra sugars that might make you gain weight. Therefore think twice before having it as your regular breakfast. They are also not loaded with the good stuff your body likes. Instead, try easy and healthy snacks like fruits, veggies, nuts, or seeds. These will keep you feeling awesome and ready to work. Save the pancakes for a real breakfast and pick smarter snacks for your desk.
6. Popcorns
The widely celebrated symbol of ‘healthy snacking,’ popcorn, is actually causing many people to consume way too many calories and consequently gain weight. Just 100 grams of unpopped corn kernels already pack 375 calories. Add some butter, a common choice for many, and you’re looking at a 500-plus calorie explosion. Gourmet options like caramel popcorn can skyrocket to 1000 calories per 100 grams. Moreover, it’s easy to overeat popcorn; you could end up 500 calories deep before even feeling full.
7. Chewing Gums
Chewing gum might seem a handy way to keep your mouth busy and taste buds satisfied. But if you consume them in abundance, 1 chewing gum approximately contains 15g of sugar and if you have 6 gums a day, then you are consuming 90g of calories alone from gums. This can increase your blood sugar levels. Chewing gum can be a short-term solution, but for long-term health and energy, choose snacks that offer your body the building blocks it needs
8. Coffee
Coffee is an everyday beverage that you have to wake yourself up for the day. It is also consumed due to the benefit of black coffee acts as a fat cutter in your body. But when sugar and cream are added to it serves extra calories in your daily intake. Excess coffee also affects your sleep cycle. You can enjoy your black coffee with some natural sweetener like honey, but remember everything in moderation is the path to a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
Choosing snacks to have at your desk shows that you are mindful of your well-being. The food you consume every day adds up to your total calorie intake.
Therefore, always be aware of your daily consumption to track your calorie intake. This o+ is essential for your weight loss journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most unhealthy snack ever?
Among the plethora of unhealthy snack choices, some stand out as particularly detrimental to your health. Major of them being chips, these seemingly convenient snacks offer little nutritional value and can contribute to weight gain.
What are unhealthy snacks called?
‘Junk foods’ are foods that lack nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and are high in kilojoules (energy), salts, sugars, or fats. Junk food is so called because it doesn’t play a role in healthy eating, especially if you eat too much of it. Junk food is also known as ‘discretionary food’ or ‘optional food’.
What’s worse chips or candy?
While often considered pretty harmless and perhaps even healthy snacks, chips and crackers can contain ingredients that put teeth at greater risk for cavities than most candies. This is because of the high starch content found in these types of foods.