2023-09-15 16:55:27
A study conducted by researchers from Imperial College London revealed that a quarter of people negate the benefits of healthy meals by eating unhealthy snacks, which increases the risk of strokes and cardiovascular diseases.
The results of the study, which was published on Thursday in the European Journal of Nutrition by researchers from Imperial College in London and Zoe Company, which is concerned with spreading a culture of healthy nutrition, explain in detail the snacking habits of 854 people, through… The study, known as “Zoe’s Predictions,” amid questions regarding the effect of snacks on the benefits of healthy foods.
The researchers participating in the study found that “half of the participants do not match the healthiness of their basic meals with their snacks, and vice versa,” and they also found that “this difference has a negative impact on health measures, such as blood sugar and fat levels, and that this can be addressed.” It should be through a simple nutritional strategy to improve health.
Dr Sarah Berry, from Imperial College London, said: “Given that 95 per cent of us snack, and that nearly a quarter of our calories come from those meals, we should replace unhealthy snacks, such as biscuits and chips. And cakes, healthy snacks, such as fruit and nuts,” stressing that they are “a really simple way to improve health.”
An analysis conducted in the United Kingdom, which is known to be a snack lover, showed that they get 24 percent of their daily energy intake from snacks, such as candy bars, nuts, pastries and fruits. The average daily snack intake among snackers was 2.28 snacks per day, with 47 percent of people eating two snacks per day, while 29 percent of them ate more than two.
Contrary to popular belief, the analysis showed that snacking is not harmful, as long as the snacks are healthy. People who ate high-quality snacks, such as nuts and fresh fruit, more often were able to gain a healthy weight, compared to those who did not snack at all, or those who ate unhealthy snacks. The analysis also showed that high-quality snacks can lead to improved metabolic health (digestion and energy production) and reduced feelings of hunger.
However, a quarter of participants (26 percent) reported that they eat healthy main meals and poor-quality snacks. Poor quality snacks, such as processed foods and sugary sweets, were linked to poor health scores and left people feeling hungry. Unhealthy snacks were also associated with a higher body mass index, higher visceral fat mass, and higher postprandial triglyceride concentrations, which is the period following eating a meal, all of which are risk factors associated with metabolic diseases, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
The most popular snacks were biscuits, fruits, nuts, seeds (for example, peanuts), cheese, butter, cakes and pies. The largest contributors to generating calories were: cakes and pies (14 percent), ice cream and frozen desserts (12 percent), donuts and pastries (12 percent), candy (11 percent), and nuts and snacks (11 percent).
The results of the analysis indicated that the timing of eating snacks might be critical to health, as eating them following 9 pm was associated with poorer blood markers, compared to all other snacking times. Snackers, at this time, tended to eat energy-dense foods that were high in fat and sugar.
In this context, Dr. Kate Birmingham, from Imperial College London, said: “The results of the study reinforce the results of research that indicate that food quality is the primary factor in terms of positive health outcomes,” stressing “the need to ensure that we eat a balanced diet of fruits.” And vegetables,” stressing that “protein and legumes are the best way to improve health.”
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