New Research Reveals How To Snack Healthier For Better Blood Sugar Control

Snacking can be a godsend when you've just powered through a tough workout or hit an afternoon hunger-slump—but other times, snacking can spike your blood sugar, and wind up making you feel worse than before you snacked.

To do so, they used data from over 1,000 people who'd participated in the ZOE PREDICT 1 study, which focused on how and why people respond differently to the same foods.

And based on their analysis, quality and timing are the two big factors to consider when reaching for a snack. Namely, snacking on higher quality foods (options that are nutrient-dense, as opposed to "empty calories"), was linked with better blood fat and insulin responses.

Further, in terms of timing, snacking during the day is also better for blood sugar levels. Late-night snacking, on the other hand, was associated with less desirable blood sugar and fat levels.

And these findings on snacking were independent from other dietary factors like full meals, which the study authors point out means healthy snacking is one simple, modifiable change people can make to improve their health.

According to Bermingham, snacking accounts for anywhere from 20-25% of our energy intake, so don't underestimate the impact your snacking choices can have on your health.

And based on this study, your best bets are to stick to nutrient-dense snacks during the day, and avoiding snacking after dinner.

"Nutrient-dense" is defined as food having a high vitamin and mineral content in relation to its weight, or calories, so think 250 calories worth of fruit and vegetables, as opposed to 250 calories of potato chips.