Healthy snacks and an example between-meal snack: dried-fruit energy balls

Why does the body crave sweets?

Sweetness, one of the sensations offered by our sense of taste, has been shown to evoke positive, comforting feelings in most people. For modern humans, the main reason for eating sweet foods is to experience this pleasure. The downside is that every good thing has a price. Because sweet foods contain high amounts of carbohydrates and fat, their main effects include weight gain and harm to cardiovascular health. Put briefly, desserts from either traditional or modern cuisines offer the human body no benefit beyond momentary happiness. Excessive consumption, on the contrary, harms health.

Another nutrition-related topic is snacks and between-meal eating. These are foods we usually consume between meals during the day or in the evening while trying to unwind. They may include fruits, junk foods—most of which threaten our health—nuts with or without shells, and pleasurable sweets. Excess weight and obesity are very widespread today; many diet programs compete, while societies increasingly favor healthy eating. Snacks that we struggle to give up can become part of healthy eating or diet programs. The important point is choosing the right snack.

Choosing the right snacks allows us to eat quality food, curb sweet cravings and satisfy our snacking habit. Dried fruits are an excellent example of foods combining all these features. Eating dried fruits with raw nuts is both very tasty and very healthy. We will share a healthy recipe that provides the happiness of a sweet treat. First, however, we would like to remind you of the principle that applies in every situation in life: a little is enough; too much is harmful , and that even with healthy foods, the habit of evening snacking should be abandoned completely .

Dried-fruit energy balls

Ingredients

• 50 gr dried apricots
• 100 gr dates
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 50 gr dried cherries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation (serves 6)

Mash and mix the dried apricots, dates and dried cherries until combined. Then mix with olive oil in a bowl. Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and roll them in sesame seeds to coat the outside. They can be eaten as between-meal snacks during the day.

Enjoy :)

Per serving (nutritional value):

• Calories: 113 kcal
• Fat: 3 gr
• Saturated fat: 1 gr
• Carbohydrate: 21 gr
• Sugar: 18 gr
• Dietary fiber: 2 gr
• Protein: 2 gr
• Salt: 0 gr

The importance of between-meal snacks in nutrition

1. They help balance daily calorie intake by spreading it throughout the day.
2. They prevent hunger attacks by supporting blood sugar control.
3. They increase dietary variety during the day.
4. Small, frequent meals increase intestinal motility.
5. They help control psychological hunger and thereby prevent excessive food consumption.
6. A good healthy snack contains between 100-200 calories.
7. A good snack should be high in fiber, low in fat, low in calories and nutritious.
8. People with diabetes and stomach complaints particularly need to eat between-meal snacks.