Protein Snacks
Have you ever wondered what are the best snacks to have? What are the
healthiest options?
It is well established that the typical person eating a western type diet
consumes more daily calories than he needs. High-calorie snacks filled with fats
and sugars contribute to these extra calories. Protein packed snacks including
bars, drinks, soups, and nuts are far superior to other snacks because of the
inherent differences between protein and sugars and fats.
First off, protein is more satisfying than the other two macronutrients
because of specific signals it sends to the brain. When we snack on protein
instead of sugars and fats, the body feels more full which helps people control
their appetite between meals, thus cutting calories and controlling their
weight. Recent clinical research has supported this physiologic phenomenon.
A second reason for choosing protein as a snack is its thermogenic effect.
This refers to the metabolic tax a food puts on the body after we eat it. This
metabolic tax for protein is much higher than sugar or fat because the body uses
more energy to digest it. This means that when you choose protein over the other
two, you are burning more calories during the process of digestion. Having this
higher tax rate is good because protein tends to be low in caloric content, so
the body is working harder on fewer calories.
A third reason to choose protein snacks over sugars and fats is the body's
need to replenish the building blocks of muscle tissue. Muscle is important for
our daily activities and it determines our metabolism. So the more we maintain
our healthy lean muscle mass, the higher we maintain metabolism.
So the next time you reach for a snack, choose a protein-rich bar, drink, or
soup. Avoid high-calorie chips, cookies, candies and sweets. They are generally
much higher in calories, and they offer little nutritional value to the body.
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More Information on Herbalife Protein Snacks
By By David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.N Chairman of the Herbalife Nutrition and Scientific Advisory Boards
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