By Baldwin Sanders, MS, RD, Heuga Center Program Staff Member 

What does your snacking behavior look like? Are you a vending-machine junkie? Does your co-worker bring in tempting sweets made especially for you? Does your snacking generate a guilty feeling?

Evaluate your snacking behavior by asking yourself these questions:
• Why do you snack? Is it because you are lonely, tired, bored, stressed or too busy to stop for a meal?
• What kind of snacks do you eat?
• How do your snacks affect you afterwards?

Going longer than four or five hours without eating can push your hunger to the point where you overeat or eat unhealthy foods. Frequent snacking on high-calorie foods can wreak havoc on your blood sugars, blood lipids and weight. For example, high-sugar snacks tend to cause a roller-coaster effect on your blood sugars.  The aftereffects of eating high-sugar foods can be low mood swings and/or sleepiness.

Eating healthy snacks can prevent fatigue, especially for people with MS. A general guideline for healthy snacking is to consume less than 200 calories per snack. A combination of protein and complex carbohydrates helps maintain your blood glucose and tends to keep you more alert.

Suggestions for tasty, healthy snacks:

• Half of a whole-wheat pita with hummus
• Cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit
• 10 to 15 nuts like almonds
• Small tortilla with lean deli meats and mustard
• Half a sandwich you saved from lunch
• Peanut butter on two graham crackers
• Hard-boiled egg

Please be aware that jerky is a good protein snack, but it’s also loaded with sodium. And smoothies can be loaded with sugar.

If you plan your snacks in advance, you’re more likely to make them healthy and satisfying.

For additional information on nutrition, diet and MS go to:

www.mypyramid.gov
www.nationalmssociety.org
www.ms-cam.org.