Snack Your Way to Weight Loss

Snack Your Way to Weight Loss

Our diet doctor, Melina Jampolis, shares her method for choosing heart-healthy snacks that help you lose weight by keeping you satisfied.

By Melina Jampolis, M.D.

Forget your mother's advice not to snack between meals. Studies show that snacking can help you get and stay slim. (Losing even 5-10 pounds also can help reduce your total cholesterol.)

So follow the next four steps when choosing prepackaged or assembled snacks:

1. Snacks should be about 100-200 calories. If you are petite, older, or less active, stay on the lower end of the calorie range. If you are larger, younger, or very active, you can move to the upper end of the calorie range.

2. Snacks should have less than 10 percent saturated fat (less than 1 gram per 100 calories) and less than 35 percent total fat (4 grams or less per 100 calories). Snacks that include nuts or nut butter can contain more total fat, but make sure you watch the portion size.

3. Snacks should contain less than 35 percent added sugar (fewer than 9 grams per 100 calories).

4. Choose nutrient-dense snacks. They should have at least 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of one or more of these six important nutrients whenever possible: potassium, which lowers blood pressure; fiber, which may help lower cholesterol; vitamin A, which is important for vision; vitamin C, an antioxidant; vitamin D, for cardiovascular health; and calcium, for bone health.

Get help understanding food labels.

Read on for seven tasty snack suggestions that incorporate key elements of our four steps to healthful snacking.