In it's most basic forming snacking is simply the eating of any foods between regular meals. Over the years snacking has gotten a bad rap because most foods that are labeled as snack foods are foods that are high in calories, sugars and carbohydrates and often lack much in the way of nutritional value. Foods such as ice cream, cookies, doughnuts, cupcakes, etc. are the first thing many people thing of when they think of the word snacks.
However snacking does not have to mean consuming these unhealthy foods, and the truth is that snacking can help your have maintain energy, lose weight and feel more alert from morning to night. 
How You Can Snack Smartly to Lose Weight
While it may seem impossible to many people snacking smartly can actually help with you weight loss efforts. Here is how snacking smartly can help you to lose weight.
Most weight loss programs involve a combination of cutting back on calories and increasing the amount of exercise you do. However, drastically reducing your calorie count can leave you with less energy and also create hunger so that when you sit down for your meal, you may be tempted to overeat. However, by including some low calorie and nutritional snacks between meals, you can keep that calorie count down and those hunger pangs at bay so you won't overeat when meal time rolls around.
By keeping those hunger pangs at bay you will be able to prevent yourself from reaching for that extra helping of potatoes, that slice of bread or even that last piece of cheesecake.
What You Should Snack On
Whether or not weight loss is your goal there are still certain foods that you snack on. Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks that will help you to maintain your energy, alertness, and help your tummy to feel satisfied.
(1) Fruits - Fruits such as apple, a few berries or even a small slice of melon not only provide you with vitamins, minerals and fiber that will help you feel full longer, that little touch of sweetness they provide can help you fight those sugar cravings. 
(2) Nuts - Snacking on nuts can actually help you lose weight. Nuts are loaded with fiber and healthy fats and contain vitamins and minerals that you may not get from your normal diet like vitamin E and magnesium. Some of the best nuts for snacking are walnuts, almonds, Pistachios and Pili nuts. Just a handful of these little treats will give you more energy, help you to feel satisfied and even help you to sleep better.
(3) Raw Vegetables - Raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, green peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower increase your vitamin and mineral intake and provide you with something to chew. Try dipping a few raw vegetables in non-fat yogurt for a vitamin and protein infused snack.
Keep in mind that you should limit the amount of even healthy snacks that you consume. You want to eat just enough to keep those energy levels up so you feel like exercising while keeping those hunger pangs at bay.
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