What Constitutes a Good Snack

A good snack is appealing to the taste buds, is nutritious, can be enjoyed anywhere, and, on any occasion, and isc generally affordable. An idea of a good snack would be a snack that someone would look forward to eating; a snack that really satisfies them. Different people tend to favor different snacks. Different cultures would prefer something different to snack on than snacks that appeal to the American culture. An example would be that Americans tend to have more of a sweet tooth than the Canadians do. Snacking has a purpose, which is to refuel our bodies and help us to get through each day (Snackwise).

We must also consider another perception of what a good snack consists of. The following is a survey completed by middle school students: A survey of 122 participants indicated that they use food cues (such as the food quality, portion size, perceived healthiness and preparation time) as well as environmental cues (such as the presence of friends and family, whether one is seated, and the quality of napkins and plates to determine if they were eating a meal rather than a snack" (Wansink).

A healthy snack must first and foremost appeal to your taste buds. That’s what persuades you to eat in the first place. A good snack looks good and tastes good. You were probably born with certain taste buds. Which is why you may like cucumbers, but your sister despises them. Some tastes are acquired tastes. There are six different tastes according to Ayurveda. The sense of taste is a natural guide map towards proper nutrition (eattasteheal). They are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent (eattasteheal). You are probably familiar with the first four. The other two you may not be so familiar with; pungent is hot and tasty as is a chili pepper, and astringent is dry and light like popcorn. Our taste buds do more than simply discover what’s healthy and what’s toxic. They unlock the nutritive value of food and start the digestive process (eattasteheal). Food speaks to us directly through taste. For example, a crispy, granny smith apple may send your taste buds a message of nature and health. On the other hand, a fiery red pepper may scream out in warning.

To be classified as a good, well-rounded snack, it must be nutritious. One recommendation to achieve this, would be to always use the Nutrition Facts Label on the snack to help you determine if that particular snack is a healthy one. A healthy snack should be nutrient rich. Look for snacks with greater than ten percent of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber (Snackwise). A healthy snack choice would consist of less than 150 calories. Monitor your fat, sodium, and sugar intake to lower your risks for different ailments. Too