Healthy snacks instead of sweets: why reaching for chocolate is often not hunger at all
3 p.m., lunch was hours ago, and suddenly your hand wanders as if by itself to the drawer with the biscuits. Do you know the feeling? You are not alone in that. According to the FOPH's Swiss Nutrition Report, the Swiss population consumes more free sugar on average than the WHO recommends. The upper limit of a maximum of 10 % of daily energy intake is regularly exceeded – and snacks in between contribute a considerable part of that.
What many people underestimate: the problem is rarely a lack of will. It is a lack of preparation. Anyone with no healthy alternative to hand almost inevitably ends up with the chocolate bar.
What is really snacked on in Switzerland – and why that is a problem
According to the Swiss Health Survey, around 43 % of adults in Switzerland are overweight or obese. Unhealthy snacking on sugar-rich products is named as a contributing factor. (Source: FSO – Federal Statistical Office)
Switzerland has recognised this. Within the «Nutrition, Physical Activity and Mental Health» (EBPG) strategy of the FOPH, reducing sugar consumption was defined as a priority goal. Several Swiss food manufacturers have committed voluntarily to reducing sugar in their products within the Milan Declaration.
But you cannot wait for strategies from above alone. The change begins with your next snack.
Five healthy snack alternatives that really fill you up
The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) recommends fruit, nuts, vegetable sticks, natural yoghurt or wholegrain products as snacks instead of heavily processed ones. The reason is simple: these foods provide fibre and protein – both keep blood sugar stable and curb cravings.
Here are five alternatives that prove their worth in everyday life:
- A handful of nuts – walnuts or almonds provide healthy fats and are astonishingly filling in a small amount.
- Vegetable sticks with hummus – carrots, peppers and cucumbers are cut in ten minutes and keep in the fridge for two days.
- Natural yoghurt with berries – no added sugar, but natural sweetness. The fibre from the berries comes free.
- A protein bar instead of a chocolate bar – if you need something sweet, it is better to reach for a bar with a high protein content, such as the Herbalife Protein Bar Vanilla Almond, whose nutrient profile makes it a sensible alternative.
- Roasted soya beans or protein crisps – crunchy, savoury and considerably higher in protein than classic potato crisps. The Herbalife Protein Chips Barbecue satisfy the wish for something salty without your emptying a whole bag of crisps.
Why protein makes the difference when snacking
A croissant in the afternoon provides quick energy – and the next slump comes just as quickly. That is down to the rapid rise in blood sugar, followed by an equally rapid fall. High-protein snacks work differently. According to nutrition claims recognised by the EFSA, protein increases satiety more than sugar- or fat-rich alternatives. A higher protein share in snacks can lower your total calorie intake over the day.
So the real problem is not that you eat between meals. The problem is what you eat.
If you would like to make your diet more balanced overall, you will find further ideas on our page about Herbalife nutrition. And if you already start the morning with a nutrient-rich meal, that can clearly reduce cravings in the afternoon – there are ideas for that under Herbalife breakfast.
The 30-gram rule: fibre as an underestimated weapon against cravings
The SGE recommends at least 30 g of fibre a day. Most people in Switzerland do not reach this figure. Yet fibre is a natural ally when it comes to controlling appetite: it slows digestion and contributes to maintaining a normal blood sugar level.
What does that mean concretely? Instead of a chocolate bar in the afternoon, an apple with a little nut butter provides not only fibre but also protein and healthy fats. Such small swaps add up enormously over the weeks.
If you are working on your weight control at the same time, you can read about supportive approaches on our page Losing weight with Herbalife – always as a complement to a mindful lifestyle.
A practical tip for everyday life
On Sunday evening, prepare a box with cut vegetable sticks, a small portion of nuts and a protein bar. Put it in the fridge or pack it in your work bag. When the 3 p.m. slump comes, you simply reach for it – without thinking, without an inner struggle. Because that is exactly where most people fail: not on knowledge, but on availability.
Healthy snacks instead of sweets: the first step counts
You do not have to go without everything sweet from tomorrow. That rarely works anyway. Swap a single snack a day instead – the chocolate bar for a protein bar, the biscuits for a handful of nuts. After two weeks you will notice that your sense of taste changes. Many people report that sweets suddenly seem too sweet to them.
According to the WHO it would be ideal to lower the share of free sugars to below 5 % of daily energy intake. That sounds ambitious – but with the right alternatives in the fridge it is more realistic than you would think.
Discover our products on myherbal.ch and find the snack alternatives that fit your everyday life.