Snack Smart: 4 Healthy Alternatives to Street Snacks That Can Save You from Malnutrition

Street snacks are high in calories

Parents should be careful to limit children’s daily snack intake. Total calories from snacks should not exceed 10% of your daily calories. The food selection for three daily meals should not be too rich in oil. It’s okay to eat street snacks 1-2 times a week.

Street snacks can lead to malnutrition in children

Many street snacks contain a lot of sauce and are high in oil, sugar and salt, which can easily lead to obesity in children. Eating more is not beneficial. Parents should also be careful not to use snacks as a meal. Eating snacks when hungry can help people break down food into a semi-dehydrated state and provide short-term energy. However, these egg waffles, siomai, etc feeling hungry again soon leads to a significant drop in blood sugar levels, and since snacks do not provide enough minerals, it is easy for children to be undernourished and lead to a decline of physical fitness and the immune system, facilitating the onset of various diseases. invade the body.

4 tips for healthy snacks

Tips for a healthy snack 1｜Chestnuts

Chestnuts are low in fat and calories and contain full minerals, making them healthier than white rice. Many of these trace elements can lift mood and reduce stress. Chestnuts are rich in protein and a variety of amino acids necessary for the human body, which can effectively improve human immunity.

Tips for a healthy snack 2｜Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are also low in fat and calories and contain resistant starch, which can aid in weight loss. As resistant starch enters the large intestine, it can support the reproduction and growth of probiotics, which can not only promote gastrointestinal motility, but also effectively help eliminate toxins and promote metabolism.

However, keep in mind that gas will be produced during the fermentation of resistant starch by probiotic bacteria in the gut. Excessive intake can cause problems such as flatulence and farting. Additionally, excessive intake of indigestible resistant starch can cause loss of appetite. which can persist for a long time. Therefore, children suffering from bloating, stomach pain and acidity should not eat more sweet potatoes, nor eat them with bananas and eggplants, otherwise they could easily cause stomach upset.

Recommendation for a healthy snack 3｜Eggs

Eggs are low-calorie snacks rich in protein and high-quality lecithin. However, children should avoid eating raw or semi-cooked eggs, such as candied eggs and hot spring eggs, otherwise they can easily cause liver disease and should not be consumed in excess.

Recommendation for a healthy snack 4｜Soy products

Soy products like tofu curd contain plant protein and some calcium, which can help children develop muscles and bones.

Recommended healthy recipes for snacks

Banana and black sesame soy milk
Ingredients (for 1 person): 200 ml of sugar-free soy milk, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon of black sesame powder

take a step
1. Peel the banana peel and heat it in the microwave for 50 seconds.
2. Pour the soy milk into a heatproof mug and heat it in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Add banana and black sesame powder and mix evenly. The hot soy milk with banana and black sesame is ready. If you want to use a blender, it is recommended to mix all the ingredients evenly before heating them.

Nutritional advice
Black sesame seeds are rich in dietary fiber, which aids digestive health and prevents constipation. Bananas are rich in vitamin B6, which can calm your mood.

Information provided by: Zhang Zhanpeng/Registered Nutritionist