- Snacking on junk food can harm your health even if you're careful to eat nutritious meals.
- A nutritionist said packing 2 simple healthy snacks at work helps her stay on track and energized.
- Aim for snacks that provide fiber as well as protein to help you stay full for longer.
Eating more snacks can make it easier to stay on track with a healthy diet, according to a top nutritionist — if you pick the right kind of snacks.
Researcher Federica Amati said smart snacking has been a game-changer for her personal eating habits on a busy schedule.
"If I've got a really busy day, sometimes I don't get time to have a proper lunch. If I have these snacks with me, I'm good and I'm feeling good. If I don't, then I'm ravenous later," she told Business Insider.
Amati, medical scientist and head nutritionist at the nutrition app ZOE, has also seen the power of snacking first-hand in her work.
Even if you're careful with most of your diet, snacking on junk food can leave you struggling with metabolic health issues like weight gain, low energy, high cholesterol and high blood sugar, she said. That's backed up by research from ZOE and other experts.
"Crappy snacks can basically outdo a lot of the greatness you are doing for yourself with good food," Amati said. "Snacking per se isn't good or bad for you, but what you snack on has a massive influence on your metabolic health."
She shared the two foods she always carries for a nutrient-dense boost, and how to optimize your snacking routine for a healthier diet.
Fresh fruit + nuts = A perfect dose of fiber and good fats
Amati's go-to snack combination at work is an apple and a small jar of mixed nuts.
The pairing of fruit and nuts offers gut-healthy fiber, plant-based protein, and healthy fats — all satiating nutrients that tell your brain you're full.
"It doesn't have to be some sort of chef situation," Amati said."It's just about having a very different mentality to snacking. If you are hungry, eat something that's a food."
What's key is that you reach for whole foods. If you snack on ultra-processed foods, like a granola bar loaded with additives like sugar, fat, and salt, it's easy to overeat.
Why? Because the nutrients in ultra-processed foods are already broken down, leaving you with less to digest. So, they offer a temporary energy fix but leave you crashing afterward, often leading to overindulgence at your next meal or snack.
"It's nutritionally pretty void. So though you may temporarily not be so ravenous, your body's not benefiting from it, and your hunger will remain later that day," Amati said.
Plus, the benefit of Amati's fruit-and-nuts snack is that it's relatively inexpensive and requires zero prep: just grab and go.
The specifics aren't crucial — you can make a healthy snack from fruits like berries and other nuts and seeds, from almonds to pepitas.
Start snacking early
Whatever you choose to snack on, being proactive about your hunger cues can lead to better results, according to Amati.
Eating early helps you stay in tune with your circadian rhythm to feel consistently energized and make better choices throughout the day.
"We're primed to more efficiently deal with nutrients and with energy storage and distribution from fats or sugars at the beginning of the day," she said.
Skimping on early meals and snacks can leave you so hungry by dinner that you double-down on dessert or late-night snacking, often with less-healthy choices.
While timing your snacks can be a matter of personal preference, eating when you're hungry but not hangry can stave off temptations for a more balanced diet.
"You'd be surprised how many people who struggle with their weight or who struggle with poor metabolic health don't eat enough during the day," Amati said.
