You probably realize that fresh fruits, vegetables and non-fat, no sugar yogurt are healthy snacks. But beyond these foods, how can you judge your snack? The American Dietetic Association put together a set of criteria that may help. These are only guidelines, not absolutes, but they make alot of sense to me. The foods mentioned above contain at least 5 of the 7 criteria (as does the Dr. Melina protein bar!) Healthy Snack Criteria (per 100 calorie serving; multiply by 2 if the serving is 200 calories) 1. at least 2.5 grams protein 2. less than 3 grams of fat 3. less than 25% added sugar (to figure out the % sugar multiply the grams x 4. If this number is more than 25% of total calories it may have too much added sugar; for example if a food has 100 calories and 9 grams of sugar – 9×4 = 36 so it is 36% sugar (36/100 = 36%) 4. more than 1.4 grams fiber 5. less than 120 mg sodium 6. more than 230 mg potassium 7. more than 60 mg of calcium
(adapted from ADA journal, 2005
So happy, and healthy, snacking!