Smart Snacking The Right Whe (NAPSA)—Whentrying to cut back on calories to lose weight, it’s common for many people to try to avoid snacking. But healthy snacking, especially with foods containing whey protein, is an important part of any diet and can actually assist with weightloss. For many Americans, snacking is viewed as more vice than virtue. Guilty pleasure or not, munching in between meals continues to rise in the U.S. Snack industry sales are currently estimated at more than $40 billion annually and growing. And daily snacking rates are way up, too. Just 20 years ago, 73 percent of adults snacked only once per day,if at all, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Today, more than two-thirds of Americans snack two or more times daily. While more people than ever are doing it, snacking still gets a bad rap. Snacking on fatty, highcalorie food isn’t going to help people lose weight, gain muscle or make them healthier, of course. But a growing body of evidence suggests that daily snacks with the right foods can actually be quite healthy. This is particularly the case with nutrient-packed snacks that contain whey protein. In between balanced meals, these foods can actually help achieve weight loss goals. They do so by stimulating metabolism and satisfying hunger. This in turn helps reduce the temptation of eating too much. “Snacking can actually be very good for you,” says registered dietitian and nutritional counselor Kelli Shallal, MPH, RD. “And snacks packed with whey protein are particularly effective as a healthy option to curb pesky hungerpangs.” Manynutritional research studies lend credence to this claim. For example, a recent University of Missouri study suggests that when compared to high-fat options, highprotein snacks have a better effect on appetite control and feeling satisfied or full, which can help reduce subsequent food intake. Protein-based snacks can provide maximum nutrition and minimum calories. So when it comes to smart snacking, there is definitely a right “whey”to go. “All of this is good newsfor the vast majority of us who are snackers,” said Suk Cho, Ph.D. and Chief Science Officer with Isagenix, a multinational provider of health and wellness products and solutions for weight loss, energy and performance, and healthy aging. “When hunger hits between meals, choosing the right, nutrient-dense snacks with whey protein can be the difference between meeting weight loss goals andfailing miserably because ravenous hunger takes over. And when that happens, overeating is often the result.” There are great ways to choose whey protein—based snacks and recipes that provide maximum nutrition and mini- mum calories. One novel example is the new Isagenix Whey Thins. A 100-calorie pack contains a whopping 10 grams of protein from whey, and it comes in snackyflavors like sour cream and chive, and barbecue. What one chooses to snack on throughout the day is just as important as what is eaten at mealtimes. Consuming snacks sensible in calories and packed with whey protein and other nutritious ingredients can help individuals achieve their weight loss goals and avoid nagging hunger throughout the day. For more information about smart snacking with whey protein foods, and for healthy snack recipes, visit www.isagenix.com.
